BOGOTA, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Colombia's second-largest rebel group on Monday declared a truce that was set to begin at midnight local time and last until Jan. 6, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported.
According to a spokesman for the National Liberation Army, or ELN, the move was unilateral and without conditions.
The ELN declaration follows weekend peace talks with Colombian officials in the Cuban capital, Havana.
The two sides agreed to open negotiations on a permanent cease-fire in January, according to the BBC.
Cease-fire talks between the ELN and Bogota broke down in August, but resumed last month.
Monday's announcement is seen as an unexpected boost for Colombia's Andres Pastrana, who promised to negotiate a solution for the country's ongoing civil conflict when elected.
The ELN has been hard hit by armed forces and right-wing paramilitaries and wants to "hammer out a deal while it still has some military leverage left," the BBC reported.
Meanwhile, Colombia's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has not declared any truce during the same time period. Three years of talks between Bogota and FARC have been unsuccessful.
In other news, a car exploded Monday in the town of San Martin, some 95 miles east of Bogota, killing at least one person and injuring numerous others. The blast also damaged several homes and offices.
Local authorities Monday said they did not know who perpetrated the attack.
San Martin lies just outside territory controlled by FARC, according to the BBC. A right-wing paramilitary group is also known to be active in the area.
