Colombia says ELN rebels kidnapped Liverpool soccer star Diaz's father

People attend a candlelight vigil demanding the release of the father of Liverpool F.C.'s forward Luis Diaz after he was kidnapped, in Barrancas, Colombia October 31, 2023. REUTERS/Yelver Florez

BOGOTA (Reuters) -Guerrillas from Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels are responsible for kidnapping the parents of Liverpool football player Luis Diaz last weekend, the government said in a statement on Thursday.

The incident could threaten ongoing peace talks between the ELN and the government, which restarted last year in hopes of ending the group's part in the country's 60-year conflict, which has killed at least 450,000 people.