The Colombian government has suspended peace negotiations with the ELN guerrilla group after a deadly attack on an army base.

Reuters reported that the Colombian government has suspended peace negotiations with the leftist rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), following an attack on a military base that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to over two dozen others.

Government negotiators announced on social media platform X on Wednesday that the peace process is now on hold. They stated that the process’s viability is significantly diminished, and any future continuation would require a clear and unequivocal demonstration of peace from the ELN.

The attack, attributed to the ELN, took place on Tuesday in a rural area of Arauca province, Colombia, near the Venezuelan border. Officials reported that the attackers used explosives in a truck to target the army base.

This decision to halt negotiations represents a major setback for President Gustavo Petro’s "total peace" initiative. Petro's goal has been to remove the ELN from the ongoing internal conflict that has plagued Colombia for over six decades.

President Petro commented on Tuesday that the attack "practically closes a peace process, with blood."

There has been no immediate response from the ELN. Since August, the ELN has intensified its attacks on military targets, choosing not to renew a cease-fire that had been in place since 2023. As a result, Colombia's military has resumed operations against the rebels.

The suspension of talks suggests the possibility of reissuing arrest warrants for the ELN’s top commanders, who the government claims are currently residing in Venezuela and Cuba.