BOGOTA, March 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Colombia's largest rebel group attacked a central village with mortar shells and assault rifles on Saturday, leaving three people dead and 15 others wounded, the police said.

    The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) launched the attack on Monte Bonito in the central Colombian province of Caldasin the early hours of Saturday, a police spokesman said.

    The dead included a baby, a police officer and a rebel. The FARC apparently aimed homemade mortar bombs at a police station and destroyed 15 houses.

    Army troops later came to reinforce police. The guerrillas withdrew after setting ablaze a bus and a truck and destroying a bridge.

    The raid was one of several assaults launched by FARC in the run-up to congressional elections on March 12.

    In recent weeks, FARC has killed dozens of people, attacked police and army bases and destroyed transport and electricity infrastructures in several Colombian departments. Enditem