Colombian president hails restart of peace talks with guerrilla group

Bogota, Oct 5 Colombian President Gustavo Petro has welcomed the restart of ongoing formal peace negotiations between his government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group in Venezuela's capital Caracas.

"The peace talks between our government and the ELN have officially resumed in Caracas, along with the guarantor countries of Venezuela, Cuba and Norway," Petro said on social media on Tuesday.

The president also posted a statement signed by the high commissioner for peace Danilo Rueda, ELN leaders Antonio Garcia, the group's top leader, and Pablo Beltran, the group's second in command.

Colombian Defence Minister Ivan Velasquez urged the rebel group to release those held captive by it in different places of the country, noting that the ELN must end illicit activities to achieve peace, Xinhua news agency reported.

After winning the presidential elections in June, Petro announced he would be resuming peace talks started by then president Juan Manuel Santos and suspended by his successor Ivan Duque.

The two negotiating teams will take up the issues agreed upon during the Santos government, when the talks were hosted by Cuba.