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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Colombia, ELN rebels agree temporary ceasefire starting Oct. 1 |
| 2017-09-05 |
| [REUTERS] Colombia and the Marxist ELN rebel group said on Monday they agreed a temporary ceasefire that would run through mid-January 2018, but it would not be in effect when Pope Francis arrives in the Andean country for a visit later this week. The ceasefire, the first with the ELN, is due to begin on Oct. 1 and end on Jan. 12, with the possibility for extensions if it is respected, President Juan Manuel Santos said in a televised address to the country. "The priority is to protect citizens, so during this period, kidnappings, attacks on oil pipelines and other hostilities against the civilian population will cease," he said. The two sides have long said the pope’s visit would be a good opportunity to call a ceasefire. The government said details and verification methods were still being finalized and that was why the ceasefire did not begin immediately. |
| Posted by:Fred |