Colombian military forces have killed the top leader of the country’s main leftist rebel group.

Alfonso Cano, the top commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, was killed Friday during a military raid in the southwestern Cauca region.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said in a televised address Cano’s death is the “biggest blow” against FARC in its entire history.  He urged the FARC guerrillas to “demobilize” now that their leader is dead.  The president said “violence is not the way.”

Cano became the leader of the rebel group in 2008 after the death of Manuel Marulanda Velez, the group’s founder.