The ELN’s Eastern War Front claims responsibility for the attack on a military base that closed the peace process between the guerrilla group and the Colombian government

() – The attack on Tuesday on the Puerto Jordán military base in Arauca, Colombia, which caused the Government of Gustavo Petro to close the peace process with the National Liberation Army (ELN), was carried out by its Eastern War Front (FGO), this guerrilla group reported in a statement.

“Our actions against this paramilitary plan are legitimate. We are an organization with political principles, as an insurgent guerrilla with more than 60 years of struggle, combat and resistance,” the FGO detailed in the message posted this Friday on the account of X of the ELN Dialogue Delegation.

The group said it had complied with the one-year extension of the ceasefire, but noted that the government “continued to fail to comply, underestimating our willingness to resume the Peace Talks.”

has sent a request for information to the Colombian Presidency for comment on these allegations and is still awaiting a response.

Hours after the attack, Petro announced that the peace talks his government was holding with the ELN were ending and described the attack as a “terrorist action.”

“It is practically an action that closes a peace process with blood, and it is like an eternal becoming, silencing a part of the people and continuing in wars and killing each other over and over again as if that were our history,” said the president during a public event.

While Colombian authorities have reported the death of three soldiers in the bombing, the ELN faction claims to have information on more than 30 casualties, including dead and wounded.

The Eighth Division of the Colombian National Army said on Thursday that it would intensify military operations to locate and bring to justice those responsible for the attack.