Colombia

Five Colombian soldiers killed in suspected ELN rebel attack

Bogota (AFP) – Five Colombian soldiers were killed and 10 others wounded in a bomb attack near the Venezuelan border blamed on National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas, the head of the army said Tuesday. The attack comes a day after the ELN announced a temporary ceasefire to coincide with next month’s legislative elections. Army General Ricardo Gomez said the soldiers were on highway security duty in a rural area near Tibu, in the Norte de Santander department, when a blast hit the first vehicle of their convoy. “We have five of our men assassinated and 10 wounded,” Gomez told W Radio station, blaming ELN guerrillas active in the region. The survivors have been hospitalized, one of them in serious condition, Gomez said. “Absolute repudiation of the cowardly attack against our heroes,” tweeted President Juan Manuel Santos, vowing to “go after those responsible” – without mentioning the ELN by name. Stalled peace talks The ELN, which took up arms in 1964, began peace talks with the Colombian government a year ago in the Ecuadoran capital Quito. Talks however broke down in January. Santos is hoping to reach a peace deal with the 1,500-strong rebel force similar to the one he struck …

Read More »

Colombia’s ELN announce new ceasefire during legislative election

Colombia's ELN rebels, whose peace talks with the government have been suspended since the end of January, announced on Monday a temporary ceasefire during next month's legislative elections

Read More »

Colombia freezes peace talks with ELN rebels after attacks

BOGOTA, Jan 29, 2018 (AFP) – Colombia’s president on Monday froze peace negotiations with the ELN rebel group after weekend bomb attacks blamed on the guerrillas killed seven police officers. The developments threw into peril efforts to definitively end Colombia’s half century of conflict that recently had looked close to resolution. “I have taken the decision to suspend the start of the fifth cycle of negotiations that were scheduled for the coming days, given that ELN is not matching its words with actions,” President Juan Manuel Santos said in an address. Santos’ government reached a historic peace agreement with the biggest rebel group, the FARC, in November 2016, but a similar deal with the smaller ELN has still not been reached. When a ceasefire with the ELN expired on January 10, the government said it was suspending talks with the rebel group, which returned to targeting security forces and oil installations. Over the weekend, three bombs went off at police stations in three locations: two in the Caribbean port city of Barranquilla and one in Santa Rosa, in the department of Bolivar. The ELN claimed responsibility for the worst of the attacks, which killed five officers and wounded 41 in …

Read More »

Colombia military helicopter crash kills 10, army chief says

All ten people aboard a military helicopter that crashed in a rural area of northwestern Colombia were killed, the army's commander said

Read More »

Colombia president suspends peace talks with ELN rebels

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos suspended peace talks with ELN rebels in response to what he said were guerrilla attacks

Read More »