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<\/p>\nLuis Diaz\u2019s parents were kidnapped at a petrol station last weekend <\/p>\n
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Colombia\u2018s government said on Thursday that the guerrilla group National Liberation Army, known as ELN, was responsible for the weekend kidnapping of the father of Liverpool winger and Colombian international Luis Diaz.<\/p>\n
The peace delegation of the government, which is currently in negotiations with ELN, said in a statement it was \u201cofficially aware\u201d that the kidnapping had been \u201cperpetrated by a unit that belongs to ELN\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe demand that the ELN releases immediately Mr Luis Manuel Diaz and we say as of now that they are entirely responsible to secure his life and integrity,\u201d said Otty Patino, who leads the peace delegation.<\/p>\n
Both parents of Liverpool\u2019s Diaz were kidnapped by armed men on motorcycles on Saturday at a petrol station in the small town of Barrancas. The footballer\u2019s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued within hours by police who set up roadblocks around the town of 40,000 people, which is near Colombia\u2019s border with Venezuela.<\/p>\n
Diaz\u2019s father remained missing, which triggered special forces to search for him in a mountain range that straddles both countries and is covered by cloud forest. Police also offered a $48,000 reward for information leading to Diaz\u2019s father.<\/p>\n
Diaz is one of the most talented players on Colombia\u2019s national team and currently plays for Liverpool in the Premier League, whom he joined last year in a deal worth \u00a350m including add ons.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old was absent from Liverpool\u2019s match against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Diaz\u2019s teammates expressed their solidarity with the Colombian by holding up one of his jerseys on the pitch after scoring the team\u2019s first goal in their 3-0 victory.<\/p>\n