The father of Liverpool player Luis Diaz could soon be freed from his six-day kidnapping ordeal, as per a pledge from a representative of the group responsible.
On Thursday, Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra reported that the country’s government had confirmed that the crime was carried out by guerilla organisation ELN.
A few hours later, as per Reuters (via ABC News), Juan Carlos Cuellar – a member of that group – explained that Luis Manuel Diaz would be freed ‘as soon as possible’, having been taken captive by armed men last weekend along with his wife Cilenis Marulanda, who was released late on Saturday night.
Special forces were assigned to the search for the Liverpool player’s father, which encompassed both Colombia and Venezuela, with police offering a reward of $48,000 (£39,322) for information which’d help towards locating him.
It now seems as if the ordeal for the Diaz family may soon be over after what we could only imagine was the most harrowing week of their lives.
We pray that those within ELN who perpetrated the kidnapping will – as promised – release the Colombia international’s father immediately, and that he can safely be reunited with his loved ones.
Our thoughts remain with the family, and our thanks go to every single person who’s helped in the search for Luis Manuel Diaz.