Former rebel fighters are helping police identify mass graves as part of peace efforts
Former rebel fighters are helping police identify mass graves as part of peace efforts to end Colombia’s 50-year armed conflict.
Experts are attempting to recover the remains of scores of people who disappeared during fighting between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as FARC.
Alvaro Polo from the Attorney General’s Office said: “I would say that if we’re talking about some 50,000 victims from the evidence we already have, with these new testimonies I think we’re actually looking at 70 or 80,000. I think we can talk about a 20 or 30 percent rise on the figure.”
An estimated 220,000 people died in Colombia’s armed conflict.
Peace talks are ongoing between both sides, but the government says it is hopeful a definitive deal can be struck this year.