Colombia's government and rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN) left-wing group have begun talks seeking to end more than five decades of conflict.

    The negotiations were launched at a ceremony in the capital of Ecuador, Quito, according to the (BBC). The talks follow the success of four years of negotiations with Colombia's largest rebel group, the Farc, which signed a peace accord in December. 

    The chief ELN negotiator, Pablo Beltran, urged both sides to rally around the points that united them and leave aside their differences. The ELN is Colombia's second largest rebel group. 

    The talks were due to begin at the end of October. But they were delayed as the government refused to sit down for formal negotiations while the rebels still held Odin Sanchez, a former congressman. Sanchez was released last Thursday, after ten months in captivity.

Source: QNA