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Colombia's Farc announces unilateral ceasefire Colombia's Farc announces unilateral ceasefire
(about 17 hours later)
Colombia's largest rebel group, the Farc, has announced a 30-day-long ceasefire starting on 15 December. Colombia's largest rebel group, the Farc, has announced a 30-day ceasefire starting on 15 December.
The announcement came a day after five soldiers, one police officer and three civilians were killed by a Farc car bomb attack against a police station. The announcement came a day after nine people were killed in a Farc car bomb attack on a police station.
The Farc declared a similar ceasefire when peace talks began in Cuba a year ago. It was abandoned on 20 January. The rebels declared a temporary ceasefire when they entered into peace talks with the government last year, but resumed fighting after two months.
The Colombian government insists it will only stop fighting the rebels when a final peace accord is reached. The Colombian government has refused to enter into a truce until a final peace deal is signed.
'Dialogue and death''Dialogue and death'
In their statement on Sunday, the rebels criticised the government for its unwillingness to agree to a truce. In their statement on Sunday, the rebels criticised the government for its unwillingness to agree to a ceasefire.
"Soldiers and policemen shed their blood unnecessarily, while the perplexed general public watches this strange cocktail of dialogue and death with which the government sees the reconciliation through," reads the document signed by the Farc's high command. "Soldiers and police are also unnecessarily spilling their blood, while the national opinion observes this strange cocktail of death and dialogue, which is how the national government perceives reconciliation," the statement signed by the Farc's high command said.
Saturday's Farc attack demolished a police station in the south-western state of Cauca. Five soldiers, a police officer and three civilians were killed on Saturday when Farc rebels exploded a car bomb outside a police station in the town of Inza, in south-western Cauca province.
Bombs were launched and a vehicle exploded just as the town market in Inza was about to open in the morning. President Juan Manuel Santos promised to redouble military efforts against the armed group.
At least nine people died and dozens were injured, authorities said. "We will continue with our offensive, not give them a minute's rest, not a minute's truce, so they won't the ability to commit acts like the one we have unfortunately witnessed," he said
President Juan Manuel Santos promised to redouble efforts against the armed group. Despite the attack, negotiators from both the rebel and the government side continued with peace talks in Cuba on Sunday.
"We have to keep on the offensive, not give them a minute's rest, not a minute's truce so they don't have the capability of committing acts like [the attack]," Mr Santos said. The government and the Farc have been in negotiations since November 2012 to end a 50-year war which has killed an estimated 220,000 people.
Despite the attack, negotiators from both sides continued with talks in Cuba on Sunday. They have so far reached agreement on land reform and on a political future for the left-wing rebel group should a peace deal be reached.
The government and the Farc have been in talks since November 2012 to end a 50-year war with an estimated 220,000 victims.
Both sides have so far partially agreed on land reform and on a political future for the left-wing group if a peace deal is reached.
The latest round of talks focuses on illicit drugs and drug trafficking.The latest round of talks focuses on illicit drugs and drug trafficking.