Bogota, Colombia ? Intense fighting between rebels and paramilitary groups for control of the cocaine trade in the jungles of western Colombia left at least 20 outlawed fighters dead, authorities said Friday.

Gen. Mario Gutierrez, a police commander in the region, told The Associated Press that preliminary reports indicate between 20 and 30 people were killed in fighting Wednesday and Thursday 190 miles west of Bogota, the capital.

Wounded paramilitary fighters were taken to the town of San Jose del Palmar for treatment, he said.

On Thursday, Federico Cuellar, a human rights official in the town, told local media that 80 fighters were killed. It was not possible to immediately reconcile the conflicting figures.

The rebels involved were most likely from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the country’s main leftist group, said army Col. Jose Forero.

“We may never know the actual toll because both sides often hide their dead after the shooting stops,” Forero said. “All we know for sure is no civilians were killed, because the fighting happened far from any towns.”