Politics Rebel group in Colombia agrees to "unilateral ceasefire"

The Colombian rebel group Segunda Marquetalia has reached an agreement with the government on a "unilateral ceasefire". This is according to a document signed by both parties and published by the government on Saturday (local time). Peace talks began almost a week ago in the Venezuelan capital Caracas.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Peace announced that the rebel group had pledged not to be armed or in uniform in the district and city centers. It has also pledged to "hand over those it has detained and to respect and protect the civilian population".

Segunda Marquetalia is a splinter group of the former left-wing guerrilla organization Farc, which laid down its arms in 2016. However, the renegade force resumed the fight against the government in 2019. The group is said to have around 1,500 armed fighters and is financed by illegal mining, drug trafficking, protection rackets and kidnappings.

The first round of the peace dialog began on Monday in Caracas. Colombia's government is currently also holding talks with the left-wing guerrilla organization ELN and another Farc splinter group, the Estado Mayor Central.

Colombia has suffered 52 years of civil war between left-wing rebels, right-wing paramilitaries and the military. 220,000 people lost their lives and millions were displaced. Although the security situation improved following the peace agreement in 2016, parts of the South American country are still controlled by illegal groups. Trade unionists, social activists and environmentalists are repeatedly targeted and killed.