Colombia's Petro says ELN attack 'practically' ends peace talks


  • World
  • Wednesday, 18 Sep 2024

FILE PHOTO: Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks during an event to announce the approval of a law called "No mas Ole" (No more Ole), that prohibits bullfighting, in Bogota, Colombia July 22, 2024. REUTERS/Nathalia Angarita/File Photo

BOGOTA (Reuters) - An attack with explosives by Colombian leftist rebel group the National Liberation Army (ELN), which left more than two dozen troops injured and two dead, has "practically" ended peace talks, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday.

The attack, which took place on Tuesday and is the most serious since a bilateral ceasefire between the government and the ELN ended in August, occurred in a rural area of Colombia's Arauca province, which sits on the border with Venezuela.

"A truck, loaded with explosives which wounded 27 young people and killed two, planted by the ELN with who we were talking about peace (...) well, that's practically an action that ends the peace process with blood," Petro said during an event in Bogota.

Petro, Colombia's first leftist president, restarted peace talks with the ELN at the end of 2022 as part of his efforts to deliver total peace and end the country's six-decade conflict which has left more than 450,000 dead.

The talks have faced a crisis for months due to the government's decision to begin separate talks with an ELN unit in the southwest of the country which earlier parted ways with the rebel group.

(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Oliver Griffin)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In World

Roundup: Europe against new U.S. tariffs, wine, spirits industry concerned
Number of migrants stopped entering US from Canada drops to multi-year low
Weekly storage of natural gas in U.S. decreases: EIA
Mexico cooperating with U.S. but more work needed on drugs, says Rubio
Philippines' Duterte to have first hearing at ICC on Friday
Portugal's president disbands parliament, calls election on May 18
U.S. stocks close lower
U.S. to see significant severe weather into weekend
Ukraine's Zelenskiy says Putin does not want ceasefire
Mexicans hope uncovered mass grave sheds light on missing relatives

Others Also Read