Colombia

Ceasefire talks between Colombia’s government and guerrilla group ELN were extended after failing to meet a self-imposed deadline for an agreement on Thursday. In a joint statement, the government and rebel negotiators said that talks on a ceasefire and a definitive end to armed conflict will continue until June 8.

[…] President Gustavo Petro’s administration said in a statement that the military will resume attacks on factions of the FARC-EMC group operating in the provinces of Caqueta, Putumayo, Guaviare and Meta, due to the group's lack of commitment to the cease-fire.

Colombia’s government and National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group on Tuesday affirmed a commitment to reaching a ceasefire agreement as they met in Havana for a third round of peace talks. The two sides also agreed on the need for civil society to be involved in any negotiated peace.

An armed dissident group of Colombia's disbanded FARC guerrillas said Sunday it was ready to start peace talks with the government next month in an apparent boost for leftist President Gustavo Petro's quest for "total peace."

Fully implementing the agreement that ended five decades of conflict in Colombia and promoting dialogue with armed groups to reduce violence are critical to consolidate peace in the country, UN Special Representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu told the Security Council on Thursday. 

Secretary-General António Guterres has underscored the importance of implementing the Peace Agreement in Colombia, and advancing dialogue, in his latest quarterly report on the UN Mission in the country, published on Monday. 

Colombia was the deadliest country in the world for human rights defenders in 2022, accounting for 186 killings – or 46% – of the global total registered last year, according to the latest report from the international human rights group Front Line Defenders.

At least nine Colombian soldiers have been killed in an attack on an army base in Norte de Santander province. The government says rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN) launched homemade mortar shells at the base in the municipality of El Carmen. The attack comes as the government and the ELN are engaged in peace talks as part of President Gustavo Petro's plan to bring "total peace" to Colombia.

[…] The ICRC’s annual report on Colombia said that the humanitarian situation in the country deteriorated for the fifth consecutive year in 2022.