Colombia’s largest FARC dissident group, the Central General Staff (EMC), announced a temporary suspension of offensive operations against state security forces during the Christmas and New Year period, citing the need for Colombian families to spend the holidays without fear of armed confrontation.
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In a statement issued on Sunday, the EMC said it had instructed its units nationwide to halt offensive military actions against the security forces from December 23, 2025, until January 7, 2026. “We have given the order to our units across the national territory to suspend offensive military operations against the public security forces from December 23, 2025, until January 7, 2026, with the aim that Colombian families can share these dates without the fears inherent to an armed confrontation,” the group stated.
The announcement coincided with a similar declaration by the National Liberation Army (ELN), which reported a unilateral ceasefire set to begin at midnight on December 24 and remain in place until the same hour on January 3, 2026.
#NoticiaW | Las disidencias del Estado Mayor Central (EMC), al mando de alias ‘Iván Mordisco’, anunciaron un cese al fuego contra la fuerza pública desde el 23 de diciembre de 2025 hasta el 7 de enero de 2026. pic.twitter.com/1jP6caRr0I
— W Radio Colombia (@WRadioColombia) December 22, 2025
Colombia’s Ombudsperson, Iris Marín, reacted to the ELN’s decision with what she described as “a certain relief, but also anguish,” warning that despite invocations of respect for the civilian population, recent actions by armed groups have caused harm to communities in several regions of the country.
Marín called for these gestures to be reflected in concrete measures, including the release of kidnapped individuals and a genuine reduction in armed confrontations. She also recalled that similar ceasefires announced in the past did not prevent renewed violence, such as mass displacement and widespread fear in areas like Catatumbo, in northeastern Colombia.
Colombia’s largest remaining rebel force has told civilians living under its authority to stay at home for three days while it stages military drills in response to burgeoning US threats https://t.co/JpywY5j84o pic.twitter.com/zhFu5080vT
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 13, 2025
Earlier on Sunday, the 33rd Front of the General Staff of Blocks and Fronts (EMBF), another FARC dissident group operating in Catatumbo, announced an indefinite halt to offensive actions against the security forces. The announcement was made through a video circulated by local media, whose authenticity could not be verified.
The ceasefire announcements come amid a persistent humanitarian crisis in several regions, particularly in Catatumbo, where clashes between the ELN and the 33rd Front of the EMBF have intensified since January, leaving nearly a hundred people dead and causing mass displacement, confinement, and other impacts on rural communities.
The EMC is led by Néstor Gregorio Vera, known as “Iván Mordisco,” the country’s most wanted man, for whom the government has offered a substantial reward. He is not currently involved in peace talks with the administration of President Gustavo Petro. By contrast, the government continues negotiations with other dissident groups, including the EMBF, with which it reached agreements in November to stop the recruitment of minors, promote access to land, and protect the environment under Petro’s “Total Peace” policy.
Despite the announced ceasefires, both the EMC and the ELN carried out violent attacks in recent days against police and army units in the departments of Cauca and Cesar. In Buenos Aires, Cauca, an EMC assault lasting more than seven hours left eight police officers injured and several buildings destroyed. In Aguachica, Cesar, the ELN killed seven soldiers and wounded 31 others in a drone attack on an army base.
Separately, fighters from another FARC dissident group opened fire on Sunday on the town of Suárez, in southwestern Colombia, the birthplace of Vice President Francia Márquez, while residents were participating in a sports event. The attack caused no casualties and was repelled by troops from the Army’s 13th Ground Operations Battalion, according to the Third Division.
“The immediate action of our units allowed us to protect the lives of citizens and contain the threat in this municipality in northern Cauca. The National Army maintains presence and operations in the area, with the purpose of preserving the tranquility of communities and countering the actions of illegal armed groups,” the Army said on X.
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