1.   Government tanks and troops were positioned just outside the huge rebel-occupied territory in southern Colombia, ready to retake the zone Monday evening.

2.   The soldiers were the first of thousands expected as the army works to retake the zone now that Pastrana has broken off the talks.

3.   Army Col. Nelson Rocha, commander of an engineers battalion based in nearby Florencia, said his troops were prepared to retake the zone if they got the orders.

4.   Army troops have been mobilized to retake the zone in southern Colombia, which is roughly the size of Switzerland.

5.   But he canceled the talks and ordered the zone retaken after guerrillas hijacked a civilian airliner on Wednesday and kidnapped a prominent senator.

6.   Elite Colombian troops flew into rebel territory Friday, the vanguard of an assault by thousands of soldiers aimed at retaking the zone after the president canceled peace talks.

7.   Government troops remained poised to retake the zone if peace talks collapse and Pastrana orders them to move in.

8.   He called off peace talks and ordered the army to retake the zone after guerrillas hijacked an airplane and kidnapped a current senator on Wednesday.

9.   He called off peace talks and ordered the army to retake the zone after guerrillas hijacked an airplane and kidnapped another senator on Wednesday.

10.   Late Wednesday, the military began preparations to retake the zone.