Colombia's FARC rebels have declared a 30-day unilateral ceasefire and urged the government to do the same in a surprise move after a deadly bombing blamed on the guerrillas.
The announcement, effective December 15, came in a statement issued in the Cuban capital yesterday where the FARC and Bogota are in talks to end their decades-long conflict.
"In a unilateral manner we order all our units ... To cease fire and hostilities for 30 days," said the statement read to reporters by FARC spokesman Pablo Catatumbo.
At the same time, the FARC ordered its fighters to "remain alert for any enemy operations" and to respond to these "without delay."
The rebels also said they hoped the government of President Juan Manuel Santos would "respond to this gesture by suspending operations."
The development came at the end of the latest round of peace talks in Havana aimed at ending nearly five decades of conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced more than 4.5 million.
It also followed a deadly bombing in the Colombian town of Inza early Saturday blamed on the Sixth Unit of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
Eight people - including two civilians, a police official and five members of the military - died when a vehicle loaded with explosives blew up, according to the army.
It "clearly shows that the FARC continue to systematically commit acts of terrorism against civilians," it said.
It was unclear whether or to what extent the bombing played a part in yesterday's ceasefire announcement.
The Colombian government's delegation, headed by former vice president Humberto de la Calle, left the location of the peace talks without comment. Negotiations are set to resume December 17.
At the start of talks in November 2012, the Marxist rebels also unilaterally declared a ceasefire for two months but lifted it after the Santos government refused to reciprocate.
Arguing that agreeing to such a move would give the FARC a strategic advantage, Santos has resisted relieving military pressure on the rebels before a peace deal is struck.
So far, the sides have reached agreement on two of five topics - agrarian reform and the FARC's return to political life once a comprehensive accord is reached.
The latest round of talks were focused on drug trafficking. Issues still to be discussed are reparations for victims of the conflict and disarmament.
The FARC - Colombia's largest and oldest rebel group that was established in 1964 - has 7,000 to 8,000 fighters.
