FARC apparently launched some two dozen attacks against government facilities just days before July 20^th peace talks with the government were to begin. The attacks were all repulsed. FARC is feeling confident, having gotten the government to remove its troops from a huge area (42,000 square kilometers) south of Bogota as a pre-condition for the talks.

July 10^th; Five more FARC attacks took place in the central and northeastern part of the country. By the end of the day, the dead from four days of fighting numbered several hundred on both sides. The fighting died down by the 13^th.

In early July, peace talks with the major rebel group, FARC, were set for July 20^th. FARC has constantly delayed the start of the talks. On July 8^th, a large force (500-1,000 man) FARC unit was confronted by army troops 50 kilometers south of Bogota, the nations capital. Fighting has been intense and continues, with about a hundred dead during the first day of action. FARC was attempting to attack a police headquarters. The fighting continued into the next day as another government facility south of Bogota was attacked.