Ex-rebels from Colombia's former leftist guerrilla movement the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) took their seats in the country's new Congress on Friday, as it held its first session.

Outgoing President Jose Manuel Santos presided over a ceremony in which all new lawmakers elected in the May elections took up their seats, welcoming them to "this temple of democracy."

Read more: Colombia's peace deal: Where is the peace?

"Here they are, for the first time, five senators and five representatives of Common Alternative Revolutionary Force, born of the demobilization and disarmament of the FARC," Santos said, alluding to the name of the FARC political party, which has the same acronym in Spanish as the rebel army.

Under a 2016 peace accord that ended a 50-year civil war and saw Santos awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, five seats in both the upper and lower chambers have been set aside for members of the FARC, despite the political party only winning 1 percent of votes.

Read more: 'A new genocide:' Colombia's peace deal ushers in fresh violence

Only eight of the former rebels took their seats on Friday, with one of the FARC senators, Seuxis Hernandez alias Jesus Santrich, unable to take his seat because the US is seeking his extradition over charges of drug trafficking.

Another FARC senator, Luciano Marin alias Ivan Marquez, renounced his seat in protest against the "judicial hoax" that he said had been run against Santrich by the government and the United States. Marquez's seat was given to Israel Zuniga, alias Benkos Bioho.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end How the insurgency started In 1948, the assassination of populist leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan sparked political chaos in Colombia known as "the violence." Tens of thousands died and peasant groups joined with communists to arm themselves. Later in 1964, a military attack on the insurgency's main encampment led to the creation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end What the rebels wanted FARC's political ideology has never been well defined. Initially, it sought to weaken the oligarchy's grip on power. The rebels also wanted land reforms in a country where more than 5 million people have been forcibly displaced, mostly by far-right militias. However, the group lost popularity as it turned to kidnapping and illegal gold mining for funds.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end How the US got involved To help the Colombian security forces fight against the insurgency and to counter drug-trafficking, the US began sending billions of dollars under Plan Colombia. The US State Department classifies the group as a terrorist organization and its leaders face US indictments.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end The human cost of the conflict Latin America's longest-running armed conflict is responsible for the death an estimated 220,000 people, while millions of Colombians have been displaced within their country. According to Bogota’s estimates, there are 7.6 million direct and indirect victims of the conflict. The country has more landmine victims than any country except for Afghanistan.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end Peace accord after decades of failed attempts Peace talks between FARC and the government collapsed in the mid 1980s after at least 3,000 allies of FARC's political wing Patriotic Union Party were killed at the hands of right-wing paramilitaries. Efforts fell short again in 2002 after the rebels hijacked an airliner to kidnap a senator. The latest round of talks started in 2012 in Havana and culminated on August 24, 2016 with a deal.

Latin America's longest armed conflict comes to an end 50 years of conflict "We have reached a final, integral and definitive agreement" to end the conflict and build a stable, lasting peace, the government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia said in a joint statement. In June, the negotiators had already announced a cease-fire agreement and a blueprint for how the estimated 7,000 to 8,000 fighters will demobilize. Author: Aasim Saleem



Peace deal divides region

The peace accord has caused a rift in Colombia, with conservatives saying it goes too easy on the former rebels.

In the May election Santos, who was not allowed seek another term, was succeeded by right-wing politician Ivan Duque, who has vowed to amend the accord, calling it too lenient. He is due to take office on August 7.

"Many won't like seeing FARC members at this scene," but "it fills me with satisfaction" because people "who fought the state and its institutions with weapons for half a century ... submit to Colombian laws," said Santos.

The leader of Duque's Democratic Center party, former President Alvaro Uribe, has been a tough critic of the outgoing president and the peace accord.

Read more: Peace, plants and hip-hop in Colombia

"Congress with people convicted of atrocious crimes, without paying reparations, without fulfilling symbolic sanctions," Uribe said in a tweet posted as Santos was speaking.

"In Colombia, growing crime and criminal reorganization of FARC. Peace in appearance only," he added.

The peace accord was agreed on following four years of negotiations in Cuba. The FARC were Latin America's last major rebel group.

The peace deal saw the demobilization of about 7,000 of its fighters, but some 1,200 dissidents from the group, as well as the smaller rebel force National Liberation Army and criminal groups continue to be active in the countryside.

During the 53-year-long conflict, some 260,000 people were killed, 60,000 disappeared and 6.9 million were displaced.

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law/rc (AFP, AP, dpa)