Colombia’s government has revealed details about those responsible for the kidnapping of Liverpool’s Colombian winger Luis Diaz parents.
The Government on Thursday said that Columbia’s National Liberation Army (ELN)were responsible for the weekend kidnapping of the footballer parents in the northern part of the Columbia
This was made known by the peace delegation of the government currently in negotiations with ELN.
A statement earlier on Thursday from the delegation said they were “officially aware” that the kidnapping had been “perpetrated by a unit that belongs to ELN.”
According to Reuters, a representative of Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas said Thursday the group will free the father of Liverpool star Luis Díaz.
ELN representative Juan Carlos Cuellar told a community meeting, in a video clip shared by the ELN with Reuters that Diaz’s father will be released “as soon as possible,”
“We demand that the ELN releases immediately Mr. Luis Manuel Díaz and we say as of now that they are entirely responsible to secure his life and integrity,” said Otty Patiño, who leads the peace delegation on behalf of the government.
Both parents of Liverpool’s Díaz were kidnapped by armed men on motorcycles at a gas station in the small town of Barrancas on Saturday
While his mother, Cilenis Marulanda was rescued by police within hours of the kidnapping, his father Díaz’s father remained missing.
Police also offered a $48,000 reward for information leading to Diaz’s father.
The 26-year-old winger was absent from Liverpool’s match against Nottingham Forest last Sunday.
His teammates has expressed their solidarity with the Colombian by holding up one of his jerseys on the pitch after scoring the first goal in Liverpool’s 3-0 victory.
However, the decision to play for Liverpool in Sunday’s Premier League match at Luton Town according manager Jurgen Klopp is up to him.
“If he feels right, he will be will us. You can see he didn’t sleep a lot,” Klopp told a news conference on Friday.
“The news from Colombia gives us a little bit of hope. I cannot say what we will do.
“It’s up to him, if he makes himself available or not” Klopp said