Ex-FARC leaders search Colombian graves for victims

Seven former FARC leaders have begun searching a Colombian cemetery for missing victims of the group's long insurgency, in line with a court sentence requiring reparations, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace said.

The peace tribunal said the seven began work on Monday to recover unidentified bodies from a cemetery in Pitalito, in southeastern Huila department. It posted photos on X showing Rodrigo Londono Echeverri, known as Timochenko and FARC's last leader, and other former leaders digging at the site.

The seven were convicted last year of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the kidnapping of more than 21,000 people between 1982 and 2016. Under the 2016 peace deal, the tribunal ordered them to perform eight years of community service, including helping to locate missing conflict victims.

Their sentence also requires activities to promote healing, participation in mine clearance campaigns, movement limits within a specific area and electronic monitoring. The tribunal gave them the maximum sentence available under the peace deal, which offers alternatives to prison for former fighters who admit responsibility and disclose the truth.