Two guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have been killed in combat with security forces just four days after a new peace deal was signed to end a half century of fighting.
Colombia’s government and Farc signed a peace accord in September that was rejected in a plebiscite last month.
The two sides finalized a revised deal over the weekend that aims to end 52 years of conflict that has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions.
Thousands of Farc fighters have been left in limbo by the rejection on 2 October of the original peace accord. Until they disarm, rebels remain in predetermined areas and must provide coordinates to the military if they want to leave.
According to the Colombian army, the rebels were killed after extorting money from people in the northern Bolivar state. In a statement, the military said the guerrillas were about 68km (42 miles) from the area of concentration and carrying weapons.
But senior Farc leader Iván Márquez said the fighters were heading to the concentration zone.
Humberto de la Calle, the government’s chief negotiator, said the incident underlined the need for a speedy resolution.
“There is a discrepancy in the narratives. That doesn’t matter, but what is important is the lesson: [the ceasefire] is fragile; we cannot delay,” he said.
A decision on how the new accord will be approved has not yet been made, but it appears more likely to go through congress than face another national vote.
President Juan Manuel Santos ordered the ceasefire with the rebels in August.
