Colombian president rejects cease-fire with guerillas

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Friday his government will not cease military operations against rebel groups even as they threaten to murder political leaders of the war-torn country. "The military offensive will continue and we have been very effective with our fight against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas in the last three years, more effective than any time before in our history," Santos told local Caracol radio. He said government forces have captured 47 FARC leaders in recent years, dealing a major blow to the country's biggest rebel group. The president expressed disappointment at the FARC's plots to murder Alvaro Uribe, who stepped up military action against the rebels during his two terms as president from 2002 to 2010. Starting as a peasant movement seeking land reform, the FARC has been fighting the government in a jungle and urban conflict for five decades, leaving more than 200,000 people killed. Rounds of negotiations have been held between the government and the FARC since the process of the peace talks was launched in November 2012. The two sides have so far agreed on two of five negotiating points -- rural development and political participation. The three remaining issues are reparations for the victims of the fighting, the FARC's ties to drug trafficking and disarmament. Santos said he has always been aware of the difficulty of reaching a peace agreement with the guerrilla group, but insisted this goal must be met. "We have to follow through. We cannot get off the horse at this time, as it would be irresponsible to the peace talks and the country," said Santos, who has faced criticism from opposition for little progress in peace talks. Santos, who became president of Colombia in 2010, is likely to run for the reelection to complete the negotiation initiated by his administration. Despite peace talks, the FARC rebels have nrot ceased fighting government forces. Last Friday, they threw explosives in an attempt to destroy a police station in southeastern Colombia, leaving two children injured and 20 houses destroyed, according to authorities.