▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁mass acre ▁of ▁seven ▁pe as ants ▁and ▁the ▁subsequent ▁disp lacement ▁of ▁eight y ▁individuals ▁in ▁San ▁Carlos , ▁Ant io quia . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁small - scale ▁actions ▁by ▁the ▁F AR C - EP ▁around ▁the ▁south western ▁depart ments ▁of ▁Colombia , ▁resulted ▁in ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 4 0 ▁cas ual ties . ▁The ▁F AR C – EP , ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁government ▁military ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁sout heast , ▁disp la ced ▁its ▁military ▁centre ▁of ▁gravity ▁towards ▁the ▁N ari ño , ▁Put um ay o ▁and ▁C au ca ▁depart ments . ▁ ▁The ▁F AR C - EP ▁originally ▁said ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁only ▁release ▁the ▁police ▁and ▁military ▁members ▁they ▁held ▁capt ive ▁( wh om ▁they ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁prisoners ▁of ▁war ) ▁through ▁ex changes ▁with ▁the ▁government ▁for ▁imprison ed ▁F AR C - EP ▁members . ▁During ▁the ▁duration ▁of ▁the ▁DM Z ▁negoti ations , ▁a ▁small ▁human itar ian ▁exchange ▁took ▁place . ▁ ▁The ▁group ▁demanded ▁a ▁dem il itar ised ▁zone ▁including ▁two ▁towns ▁( F lor ida ▁and ▁Pr ad era ) ▁in ▁the ▁strateg ic ▁region ▁of ▁Valle ▁del ▁C au ca , ▁where ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁military ▁action ▁against ▁them ▁has ▁taken ▁place ; ▁this ▁region ▁is ▁also ▁an ▁important ▁way ▁of ▁transport ing ▁dru gs ▁to