ANP extension
ANNOUNCEMENTS•
The Colombian government has signed a ceasefire with five armed groups operating in the country. This was announced by President Gustavo Petro shortly before the end of the year in the South American country.
These include guerrilla groups of the ELN (National Liberation Army), remnants of the FARC and drug trafficking gangs. The ceasefire is in effect for six months, but can be extended by negotiation.
Petro said the deal forces all parties to abide by the ceasefire. This will be monitored internationally and nationally. “My wish is that peace is possible by the end of the year,” the president said.
In an additional statement, the government said a separate agreement had been reached with each organization on the duration and terms of the ceasefire.
Peace talks
Petro, himself a former member of the former M-19 guerrilla group, has been trying to start peace talks since he took office in August. He is the first leftist president of the country.
In the 1960s, a bloody conflict broke out between the Colombian government, left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs. The violence has killed hundreds of thousands of people.
