Colombian rebels announce truce

HAVANA (AFP) - Colombia’s leftist FARC rebels on Monday declared a unilateral two-month ceasefire, at the start of talks in Cuba with the Bogota government on ending Latin America’s longest-running insurgency. “The leadership has ordered that all military operations against government forces come to a halt,” the head of the delegation for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Ivan Marquez, said upon arrival at the Havana talks venue. Marquez said the ceasefire would take effect at midnight (0500 GMT) Tuesday and last through January 20. Negotiators for the government of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos made no statement as they arrived at the convention center in the Cuban capital.

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