Colombia and Farc Peace Talks, Conflicts, History & News: South American Country Temporarily Halts Air Raids Against Rebel Group for a Month
Colombia's military will halt bombing raids against the FARC as Bogotá continues peace talks with the leftist guerilla, Al Jazeera America reported.
President Juan Manuel Santos said he made the decision in response to commitments kept by the rebels.
"In regards to the indefinite, unilateral ceasefire declared by the FARC on Dec. 18, we must recognize that they have fulfilled it," Santos said in a televised address on Tuesday.
"For this reason, and to propel the de-escalation of the conflict, I have decided to order the defense ministry and the leaders of the armed forces to cease bombardments over FARC camps for one month," the president added.
The FARC have repeatedly called for a bilateral ceasefire, Agence France-Presse detailed. But the government's chief peace negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, insisted that Santos had not given in to their demand.
"This is not a bilateral ceasefire in disguise," de la Calle said on Wednesday. "The security forces are not going to retreat. They're not going to suspend territorial control. We're talking about a suspension of bombing raids on the FARC. Outside of that, whatever else happens will meet with our firm decision to continue acting in accordance with the law."
Operations against a second guerrilla group -- the National Liberation Army -- will continue, the BBC noted. Santos insisted that unlike the FARC, the smaller rebel movement had "increased its criminal activities."
FARC negotiators have been engaged in talks with the Colombian government since November 2012, and partial agreements have been reached on a variety of issues, including the drug trade, land reform and political participation, the British outlet noted. So far, however, the two sides have not agreed on a final deal.
Santos announced that he plans to form a peace commission composed of Colombian politicians and entrepreneurs, which is supposed to help guide the negotiations through its final stages.
The conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, founded in 1964 with the goal of installing a Marxist regime in the South American country, has resulted in more than 200,000 casualties and uprooted more than five million, AFP said.
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