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Colombia ELN rebels declare Christmas ceasefire

Negotiations between Colombia's government and the National Liberation Army look to end the group's part in Colombia's internal conflict, which has run for almost six decades.

Reuters

Colombia's government and the ELN last week completed the first cycle of peace talks between the two parties in Venezuela's capital Caracas.

Colombian leftist guerrilla group the National Liberation Army (ELN) has declared a nine-day unilateral ceasefire over the Christmas period as part of a bid to support peace talks with the Andean country's government, which urged other illegal armed groups to follow suit.

"The ELN remains committed to continue contributing to create a better environment of peace on these Christmas and New Year dates. Therefore, we decree a unilateral ceasefire from 6 am (1100 GMT) on December 24, 2022, until 6 am on January 2 of 2023," a woman member of the ELN said in a televised statement on Monday while flanked by other guerrillas, who brandished rifles.

The unilateral ceasefire will only apply to Colombia's military and police, the ELN said in a recorded statement, adding it reserves the right to defend itself if attacked.

The ELN sometimes clashes with rival groups such as the Clan del Golfo and dissident members of the now-demobilised FARC guerrillas, who reject a 2016 peace deal with the Colombian state.

Negotiations between Colombia's government and the ELN look to end the rebel group's part in Colombia's internal conflict, which has run for almost six decades and left at least 450,000 dead between 1985 and 2018.

Urging groups to call a ceasefire

Officials and politicians praised the declaration.

"I salute the ELN's announcement of a unilateral ceasefire during the Christmas period that I trust will contribute to alleviate suffering and improve communities' humanitarian situation," Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the special representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Colombia, said in a message on Twitter.

Following the announcement, Colombia's government called on other armed groups also to call a ceasefire.

"We take this opportunity to send a message to all the violent groups that are operating in the country, so that hopefully they will pick up on this outcry from the people," Interior Minister Alfonso Prada told reporters.

SOURCE: Reuters