A six-month ceasefire between the Colombian government and the country’s largest remaining armed rebel group has entered into force, in the largest victory for President Gustavo Petro in his push to end decades of armed conflict.
The ceasefire, set to run until February, is the product of ongoing peace talks between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the government, which restarted last year.
The government’s high peace commissioner, Danilo Rueda, on Tuesday said the ceasefire would prevent violence and human rights abuses like kidnappings. “The civilian population can rest easy during the period of the ceasefire,” Rueda said.
More than 450,000 people have been killed in nearly 60 years of armed conflict in Colombia.
A day earlier, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to renew and expand an observer mission to Colombia to monitor the ELN ceasefire. The resolution authorizes as many as 68 additional international observers to join the mission.
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