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| Colombia Farc rebels 'kill five soldiers' before truce | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Colombia's Farc rebels have killed five soldiers in an ambush, the army says, hours before they are meant to start an indefinite, unilateral ceasefire. | Colombia's Farc rebels have killed five soldiers in an ambush, the army says, hours before they are meant to start an indefinite, unilateral ceasefire. |
| The leftist rebels attacked a patrol before dawn in Santander de Quilichao, a rural area of western Colombia. | The leftist rebels attacked a patrol before dawn in Santander de Quilichao, a rural area of western Colombia. |
| The truce, scheduled from Saturday, has been hailed as a major boost for talks aimed at ending a 50-year conflict that has claimed 220,000 lives. | The truce, scheduled from Saturday, has been hailed as a major boost for talks aimed at ending a 50-year conflict that has claimed 220,000 lives. |
| However, Colombia's government said it would not join the rebels in the truce. | However, Colombia's government said it would not join the rebels in the truce. |
| President Juan Manuel Santos described Farc's ceasefire declaration as a "gift... full of thorns". | President Juan Manuel Santos described Farc's ceasefire declaration as a "gift... full of thorns". |
| He has rejected rebel calls for a bilateral truce, warning that this would give the rebels the chance to re-arm. | He has rejected rebel calls for a bilateral truce, warning that this would give the rebels the chance to re-arm. |
| He also condemned the attack on Friday, saying the soldiers had died "defending the security of their fellow Colombians", according to the AFP news agency. | He also condemned the attack on Friday, saying the soldiers had died "defending the security of their fellow Colombians", according to the AFP news agency. |
| At least five soldiers were injured in the ambush and one was reported missing. | At least five soldiers were injured in the ambush and one was reported missing. |
| Representatives of Colombia's government and the Farc have been holding talks in the Cuban capital, Havana, for more than two years. | Representatives of Colombia's government and the Farc have been holding talks in the Cuban capital, Havana, for more than two years. |
| The talks were almost derailed in September after the Farc captured a Colombian general, Ruben Dario Alzate, prompting President Santos to suspend the negotiations. | The talks were almost derailed in September after the Farc captured a Colombian general, Ruben Dario Alzate, prompting President Santos to suspend the negotiations. |
| The rebels released the general unharmed in November in an effort to revive the talks. | The rebels released the general unharmed in November in an effort to revive the talks. |
| Earlier this week, they announced that they would observe a truce from Saturday, which should become a formal armistice - and would only end if they were attacked. | Earlier this week, they announced that they would observe a truce from Saturday, which should become a formal armistice - and would only end if they were attacked. |
| The Farc have declared ceasefires in the past, but these have been temporary. It has also staged similar attacks to the one on Friday, just before the commencing its ceasefires. | The Farc have declared ceasefires in the past, but these have been temporary. It has also staged similar attacks to the one on Friday, just before the commencing its ceasefires. |