Colombian President Suspends ELN Peace Talks

The Colombian president has suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group, accusing them of committing war crimes in the Catatumbo region. President Petro stated that “the ELN does not want peace.” Yesterday, villagers in the northern Catatumbo region, near the Venezuela border, were alarmed by violence between the ELN and former FARC rebels.

ELN fighters killed at least five ex-FARC rebels, the group that made peace with the Colombian government in 2016. The exact number of casualties remains unclear, but local authorities report more than thirty deaths.

UN representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu condemned the violence in Catatumbo and called for “the protection of civilians.” The local government urged Petro, the former guerrilla fighter elected president in 2022, to end the violence in the region. Peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the ELN, resumed in 2022, have faced challenges.

Last September, the talks were suspended after the ELN killed two soldiers and injured 29 civilians in an explosion near the Venezuela border.

Source: NOS

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