A deadly guerrilla attack ‘National Liberation Army’ in Colombia According to the country’s army, nine soldiers were killed and another nine wounded.

“For now, they are informing us of the murder of 9 of our soldiers” in El Carmen, Norte de Santander department, said a statement from the entity, which also spoke on social networks about the death of the officers.

The Colombian President, Gustavus Petro, expressed his “total rejection” of the armed attack on Twitter. The president also called for “consultations with the government delegation to the ELN table, guarantor and accompanying countries”.

Negotiations between the Colombian government and the ELN began in Caracas and continued in Mexico City, without reaching a ceasefire. In January, the sides experienced their most tense moment when the rebels denied being part of a bilateral ceasefire Petro announced on New Year’s Eve with the country’s main armed groups.

Hostilities continued and the military has continued to denounce kidnappings and explosives attacks, resulting in several deaths and injuries.

This is the deadliest attack since Petro became president last August.

Most of the soldiers who died were young men doing compulsory military service and were around 20 years old.