Colombia to start peace talks with ELN rebels

Colombia’s government and the country’s second largest rebel group are to start formal peace talks in a boost for President Juan Manuel Santos after the rejection of his deal with the larger FARC guerrilla group

Areas of influence ELN FARC Both

President Santos: Nobel laureate has hailed prospect of “complete peace”
if two largest rebel groups reach agreement to give up armed struggle

CARIBBEAN SEA

PANAMA

PACIFIC OCEAN

Ibagué

Cali

Tumaco

Pasto

Quito

ECUADOR

PERU

Barranquilla

Cartagena

Medellín

Bogotá

COLOMBIA

Caracas

VENEZUELA

Cúcuta

Bucaramanga

BRAZIL

200km 125 miles

National Liberation Army (ELN)

Leader: Nicolás Rodríguez Bautista, alias Gabino

Strength: Around 2,000 fighters

1964: Founded by radical Catholic priests inspired by Cuban revolution

Mid-1990s: Reaches height of power with army of around 4,000 carrying out hundreds of kidnappings and attacking oil infrastructure

2002-10: Greatly weakened by U.S.-backed military offensive

Oct 27, 2016: Formal peace talks to begin in Ecuador

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)

Leader: Timoleón Jiménez, alias Timochenko

Strength: Around 7,000 fighters

1964: Founded as armed wing of Communist Party

2002: Controls vast parts of country with some 20,000 fighters

2008/11: Suffers bitter defeats with killing of two rebel leaders in two separate bombing raids

Oct 2, 2016: Peace accord with government rejected by 50.2% of voters in referendum

Source: Colombia ReportsPictures: Getty Images, YouTube