Colombia suspends ceasefire with ELN after rebel group rejects effort

Colombian Ministry of the Interior Alfonso Prada speaks during a news conference as Colombia's High Commissioner for Peace Danilo Rueda and Colombian Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez listen, regarding the bilateral ceasefire between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and military forces during peace negotiations in Bogota, Colombia January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia called off a ceasefire with the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels on Wednesday, in an about-face after the left-wing guerrilla group said it had not agreed to halt fighting.

The reversal less than four days after the initial announcement is a setback for plans by President Gustavo Petro to bring peace to the Andean country after nearly sixty years of conflict which has killed more than 450,000 people.