The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) would have released, by the middle of this year, all the captives of the government troops and policemen so as to give way to a peace process in the country ravaged by 40 years of armed conflict.

Ex-Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba, was a mediator in the liberation of five kidnapped men, which will begin from Feb. 9.

The FARC presently hold as hostages almost 20 members of the public force (Army and Police), and some of them have lived in captivity for more than one decade. For their freedom, the rebels demand to the government the release of their companions who are serving their sentences in national and foreign prisons.

In this South American nation, the internal armed conflict has lasted for more than four decades.