BOGOTA, March 5 (Reuters) - Leftist Colombian rebels bombed an oil pipeline in the southwest of the country, the government said on Wednesday, in a possible reprisal attack just days after the army killed a top guerrilla leader.

It will take about three days to repair the 100,000 barrel-per-day Trasandino pipeline in the jungle province of Putumayo, Deputy Energy Minister Manuel Maiguashca said.

The pipeline, operated by state petroleum company Ecopetrol <ECO.CN>, takes oil to the Pacific port of Tumaco.

Authorities said the bombing was carried out by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which is fighting a four-decade-old insurgency.

The FARC's No.2 commander, known as Raul Reyes, was killed in a weekend raid by Colombian forces that crossed into Ecuador to carry out the operation, sparking a diplomatic dispute with the neighboring country. (Reporting by Hugh Bronstein, Editing by Sandra Maler)

AlertNet news is provided by