By Luis Jaime Acosta
BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia’s armed forces have restarted operations in opposition to leftist insurgent group the Nationwide Liberation Military (ELN), Protection Minister Ivan Velasquez stated on Monday.
The choice to restart army operations comes after a six-month ceasefire between the 2 sides ended on Saturday.
The federal government of President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing chief, restarted peace talks with the ELN on the finish of 2022 as a part of its whole peace coverage, the place it’s trying to finish the nation’s six-decade battle that has left greater than 450,000 useless.
“There is no ceasefire,” Velasquez advised journalists. “This means that offensive operations are back on and that is the order of the commander of the military to all forces, and also of the director of the national police.”
Peace talks froze in current months and the ELN ended its suspension of kidnappings – which safety sources say present the group with much-needed financing – representing the return of one of the feared components of Colombia’s battle.
Negotiations between earlier governments and the ELN – thought-about a terrorist group by the U.S. and the European Union – broke down because of the group’s radical positions, diffuse chain of command and dissent in its ranks.
Colombia’s authorities not too long ago opted to finish a ceasefire with sure components throughout the Estado Mayor Central, a dissident faction of the previous Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels who reject a 2016 peace cope with the state.
Nevertheless, officers not too long ago entered into separate talks with the Segunda Marquetalia, one other dissident FARC faction that deserted the peace course of and returned to arms.
