Bogota, Aug 19 (EFE) Colombia's new militias have at least 4,000 fighters, a large number of them members of the defunct AUC militia organisation, according to an estimate by the police.

According to the estimate, the Los Rastrojos militia and the Los Paisas, Nueva Generacion, Renacer and Magdalena Medio groups 'have nearly 4,000 men' and are responsible for a good deal of the criminal activity in the country, the El Tiempo newspaper reported Tuesday.

The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) accused of committing numerous human rights violations, demobilized more than 31,000 of its fighters between the end of 2003 and mid-2006 as part of the peace process with the government of President Alvaro Uribe.

'According to police, the offensive of the past few months, with more than 200 operations, weakened at least three organizations; only eight identified groups remain,' the newspaper said.

However, the Fundacion Nuevo Arco Iris, an independent organistaion, has information of 82 criminal organisations in its files that have a presence in 273 cities and could have 10,000 armed men.