Rebels allegedly kidnap father of footballer Díaz

The father of Liverpool footballer Luis Díaz has been kidnapped by left-wing rebels in Colombia, according to the Colombian government. Luis Manuel Díaz and his wife were taken at gunpoint on Saturday, with his mother left behind in a car as the kidnappers fled. The government delegation currently engaged in peace talks with the rebel group, known as the National Liberation Army (ELN), said it had "official knowledge" that the ELN was responsible for the kidnapping. The ELN, Colombia's main active guerrilla group, has been fighting the state since 1964. Police have deployed hundreds of officers and soldiers to secure the release of Díaz's father, and the search is concentrated in the mountainous area along the Colombia-Venezuela border. The kidnapping has sparked outrage in Colombia, with protests calling for Díaz's release. Díaz's Liverpool team and manager Jürgen Klopp have also shown support, dedicating a recent victory to him.