The Colombian government and fighters with the National Liberation Army rebel group have agreed to extend their current cease-fire for another six months while they negotiate a peace deal.
The agreement was announced Tuesday in Havana, where negotiators have been holding a sixth round of peace talks. The rebel group, known by its acronym ELN, will suspend kidnappings for ransom under the agreement.
The initial cease-fire pact was reached last August. It expired last Wednesday, but the two sides agreed to extend it for five days.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro took office in 2022 vowing to bring an end to six decades of war between the government and numerous armed groups that have left more than 450,000 Colombians dead.
The government reached a landmark peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, IN 2016.
The negotiations between ELN and the government were nearly derailed when the rebel group kidnapped the father of Colombian football star Luis Diaz and held him for several days.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse.
