Colombian ELN rebels lift suspension on kidnapping

Colombian leftist rebel group the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Monday said it would lift its suspension on kidnapping due to the government failing to live up to agreements reached during peace talks. The rebel group, which is in peace talks with Colombia's government, said its decision was due to a delay in establishing a multi-donor fund to a peace process that would remove the ELN from the country's six decades of armed conflict.

Colombian leftist rebel group the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Monday said it would lift its suspension on kidnapping due to the government failing to live up to agreements reached during peace talks.

The rebel group, which is in peace talks with Colombia's government, said its decision was due to a delay in establishing a multi-donor fund to a peace process that would remove the ELN from the country's six decades of armed conflict. "So far, the fund hasn't been established, the government shows little will to advance in this field," the ELN said in a statement.

"Given the above, the ELN terminates its offer to unilaterally suspend economic detentions," it said. The fund was not agreed as an incentive for the ELN to end kidnapping, Colombia's government said in a statement, adding that delays were caused due to the rebel group's decision to call an extraordinary round of talks.