Venezuela is regularly supplying ammunition for some 15,000 AK rifles used by the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ALN), Colombian military intelligence officers said, according to daily newspaper El Nuevo Herald.

The sources claimed their evidence came from inspections of weapons and ammunition seized from guerrillas in northeastern Colombia, on the border with Venezuela, and the testimony of deserters from the FARC and ELN, Efe reported.

El Nuevo Herald said the Colombian sources do not know whether the provision of ammo is made under President Hugo Chávez's command or if it comes amidst corrupt practices by Venezuelan military and police officers.

The FARC's use of Venezuelan-made ammunition was reported by more than 10 of the some 95 guerrilla members who defected in Colombia, the officers added.

The only factory in South America that makes the 7.62x39 ammunition for AK-47 assault rifles is the Venezuelan state-run Compañía Anónima Venezolana de Industrias Militares (Cavim).