Bogotá, January 12 (RHC-teleSUR) -- The unilateral indefinite cease-fire undertaken by the leftist guerrilla group Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) since December is threatened by the constant military offensive against the rebels across the country, the insurgents warned.
The guerrilla and the government of President Juan Manuel Santos entered into peace talks two years ago in a bid to end more than half a century of bloodshed. However, while the FARC has laid down its arms, the Colombian military refuses to halt operations against the group due to Santos' belief that doing so would prolong the peace process and allow the rebels to regroup and restrengthen.
“The military offensive against guerrilla units, who have been in unilateral cease-fire since Dec. 20, continues,” the FARC said in a statement.
“This attitude of foolish hostility, at a time when the government has insisted on finding agreements to deescalate the conflict, as well as contradicting the national majority's cry for peace, it puts at serious risk the continuing of the measure to avoid new victims and ease the pains of the warm,” the group added.
Negotiations continue in Havana, Cuba, between the two factions as to the terms of a permanent, bilateral cease-fire, with another rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), considering joining.