12.03.201815:59:00UTC+00COLOMBIA: Santos To Resume Talks With The ELN

The Colombian government will resume peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group, according to a statement released by Casa de Nari?o.

President Juan Manuel Santos said that he already instructed the head of the negotiating team, Gustavo Bell, to travel to Quito, Ecuador, to resume talks.

Santos pointed out that the goal is to advance in the discussion and agreements on the points that were being discussed simultaneously and "also to achieve a new ceasefire and hostilities agreement, broad and verifiable, that will avoid more loss of life."

On January 9, the first ceasefire agreed between both sides ended after 101 days.