Colombian government freezes rebel group's assets under peace deal

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February 24, 2017 12:26 AM

Colombian prosecutors seized $98 million worth of buildings, land and assets belonging to the leftist FARC force as it disbands under a peace deal, an official said Thursday.

The FARC are demobilizing after signing a peace accord with the Colombian government last year following more than half a century of conflict

"We have frozen property worth nearly 282 million pesos" belonging to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), public prosecutor Nestor Humberto Martinez told a news conference.

Authorities "also managed to identify property that is the result of illegal activities such as drug trafficking," he said.

The FARC are demobilizing after signing a peace accord with the Colombian government last year following more than half a century of conflict.

The government has also launched negotiations with the last remaining active rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN).

Authorities say the war has cost 260,000 lives.

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