Colombia's FARC rebels announce unilateral ceasefire

Bogota, Dec 21 (IANS/EFE) The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) began a unilateral and indefinite ceasefire Saturday, an unprecedented step in the history of Colombia's oldest insurgent movement.

"We've received with satisfaction the constructive reaction of the vast majority of public opinion regarding our decision to unilaterally and indefinitely cease hostilities ...as a step towards de-escalating conflicts," the FARC high command said in a statement.

The FARC delegation to the peace talks with the Colombian government in Havana said at the end of the latest round of talks that the ceasefire would begin Saturday and it confirmed that decision Friday.

On Friday, a clash between army troops and the FARC in the southwestern province of Cauca left five soldiers dead, five wounded and one missing.

In a separate clash in Toledo, in the northeastern province of Norte de Santander, three police personnel were killed in an attack that the authorities blamed on the FARC, or the smaller National Liberation Army.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' administration Thursday welcomed the unilateral ceasefire announcement by the FARC, but officials rejected the rebels' demand for international verification and an immediate formal armistice.

In its statement Saturday, the FARC said that it would only suspend the ceasefire if its units were to come under attack by the security forces.

The president, for his part, said Saturday during a visit to the northern province of La Guajira that he is hopeful that the FARC's unilateral ceasefire will be a step towards a "bilateral and definitive" truce that brings an end to an armed conflict dating back more than 50 years.

--IANS/EFE

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