ELN kidnaps police officer in northeast Colombia

(Photo: Nortedigital)

The smaller of Colombia’s left wing rebel groups, the ELN, has kidnapped a police officer in the northwest, local media reported on Wednesday.

The officer, Diego Felipe Gutierrez, was last seen in Saravena, Arauca on Saturday before a taxi carrying several suspected ELN members drove to the building he had been in and took him away.

The news comes less than a week after Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced his support for the ELN’s decision to release their Canadian hostage, Jernoc Wobert.

Santos has previously said that the ELN will not be invited to take part in peace talks while they still practice kidnappings.

MORE: ELN must release all hostages before peace can be discussed: Santos

Police have offered $10 thousand for information on the police man’s capture that will lead to his eventual release.

Saravena, Arauca

Sources

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