A Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia negotiator, Pablo Catatumbo, speaks to the media, flanked by fellow FARC members, in Havana, Nov. 18, 2014. Photo: Reuters

by teleSUR

The cease-fire will begin Dec. 20, but will need to be verified by international organizations.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have declared an indefinite cease-fire, saying that the unilateral move should turn into an armistice for the 50-year conflict.

“This unilateral cease-fire, that we want to last in time, will be terminated only if it appears that our guerrilla structures have been targeted by the security forces,”said the rebel group.

The cessation of hostilities will come into effect on Dec. 20, however it would need to be verified by UNASUR, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Broad Front for Peace.

It remains unclear whether the Colombian government will join in the cease-fire.

The rebel group launched peace talks with the government of President Juan Manuel Santos in Cuba in 2012, hoping to bring an end to a half-century of armed conflict – the longest running conflict in the hemisphere.

The rebel group and government representatives have so far signed off on partial agreements on rural reform, political participation of FARC members, and the group’s abandonment of drug trafficking.

More than 220,000 people have been killed and over 5.7 million people have been internally displaced due to the conflict.