Colombia announced plans Wednesday to protect demobilized members of the FARC rebel force, whose leaders say some of their ex-fighters have been murdered.

The 7,000 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have disarmed under a peace deal and are preparing to enter civilian and political life.

Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said the government would send thousands of troops to protect the 26 FARC demobilization zones across the country.

"The security of those who have demobilized is the public forces' priority," he told a news conference.

President Juan Manuel Santos declared Colombia's 50-year conflict with the FARC finally over on Tuesday, as the last truckloads of decommissioned weapons rolled away to be melted down.

The leftist rebel force has said it will officially transform into a political party on September 1 under the peace deal signed last year.

FARC leader Rodrigo Londono said on Twitter that 22 FARC members had been killed this year despite the peace deal.

FARC leaders and officials allege ongoing violence by gangs formed from remnants of former right-wing paramilitary groups.

Many Colombians said the peace deal was too lenient on the FARC, some of whose members will get amnesties for crimes committed in the conflict.

Colombia's last active rebel group, the National Liberation Army, is in peace talks with the government.

The FARC arose in May 1964 in a peasants' revolt demanding land reform.

As well as a quarter of a million dead, about 60,000 Colombians remain unaccounted for and seven million have been displaced in the conflict.

Government human rights official Paula Gaviria said overall 124 child soldiers had been discharged from by the FARC.

Tweet

Philippines' communist rebellion: a new generation
At A Guerrilla Camp, Philippines (AFP) Aug 16, 2017
A kerosene lamp flickers beside a Macbook in a jungle camp as ageing Philippine communist leader Jaime Padilla plots the next step in one of Asia's oldest insurgencies with a new generation of fighters. Fuelled by one of the world's starkest rich-poor divides, a Maoist rebellion that began months before the first human landed on the moon plods on even though the country now boasts one of the ... read more

Related Links
Space War News

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only