Wed Sep 18 03:12:00 UTC 2024: ## ELN Attack on Colombian Troops Ends Peace Talks, Says President Petro
**BOGOTA, Colombia -** Colombian President Gustavo Petro has declared that peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) have been effectively ended following a deadly attack on government troops by the rebel group.
The attack, which took place on Tuesday in Arauca province bordering Venezuela, involved a truck laden with explosives. The blast killed two and injured 27 young soldiers, marking the most serious incident since a ceasefire between the government and the ELN collapsed in August.
President Petro, Colombia’s first leftist leader, had resumed peace talks with the ELN at the end of 2022 as part of his wider peace initiative to end the country’s 60-year-long armed conflict, which has claimed the lives of over 450,000 people.
However, the talks had been facing challenges for several months due to the government’s decision to engage in separate discussions with an ELN splinter group operating in the southwest. The latest attack appears to have dealt a fatal blow to the ongoing peace efforts.
President Petro expressed his frustration with the ELN’s actions, stating that “this is practically an action that ends the peace process with blood.” The future of peace negotiations now appears uncertain, casting a shadow over hopes for a lasting resolution to the long-running conflict in Colombia.
First Piper 