Commoners of the South begin disarmament in Colombia
- The Commoners of the South, a rebel group in Colombia's Nariño province, has started to hand over their weapons to the government.
- This action is part of peace talks initiated last year and marks a significant step toward their disarmament.
- Analysts suggest that this is a historic moment, but challenges remain as the Colombian government deals with multiple armed groups.
Colombia has made strides toward peace as a rebel group known as the Commoners of the South started a process of disarmament. This development marks a significant moment in Colombia's ongoing efforts to address decades of conflict and violence involving various armed groups. The Commoners of the South, which operates in the Nariño province and consists of approximately 250 fighters, has been in negotiations with the Colombian government since breaking away from the National Liberation Army (ELN) in May of the previous year. The Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez hailed the disarmament process as historic during a ceremony in Pasto, emphasizing the potential for farmers in the region to live without the threat of violence from the armed group and landmines. Despite this positive step, challenges remain for Colombia, as the peace talks have shown mixed results overall. President Gustavo Petro is pursuing a broader strategy called