Global Courant
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Colombia’s largest rebel group said it will halt attacks on the country’s military as it prepares for a ceasefire with the government that could bring both sides closer to the end of five decades of war.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Central Command of the National Liberation Army ordered its units across the country to “cease all offensive actions” against the military, including espionage, on July 6.
However, the group known as the ELN said its fighters will continue to use their weapons to defend themselves against any attack by the military or other armed groups operating in Colombia’s rural areas.
In June, the ELN and the government of Colombia agreed to take measures that will lead to a bilateral ceasefire on August 3.
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The ceasefire is supposed to last six months and is designed to facilitate peace talks, which began late last year and are expected to last at least until 2024.
The ELN has grown significantly since 2017, when it occupied parts of the country vacated by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia following the peace deal with the government. The group known as the FARC is Colombia’s largest guerrilla army.
Today, the ELN has an estimated 4,000 fighters operating in Colombia’s Choco region, as well as along the country’s borders with Venezuela and Ecuador.
Humanitarian organizations have recently pointed out that as the ELN and other armed groups such as the Gulf Clan fight for territory, thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes.
According to a UN report published in June, Colombia will register 214,000 internally displaced persons in 2022.
