THE dad of Liverpool winger Luis Díaz has returned home to reunite with friends and family after he was kidnapped by ELN guerrillas in Colombia.
Heartwarming footage shows Luis Manuel Díaz Jimenez coming home after his 12 day ordeal trapped in the group’s jungle lair.
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Hundreds of people lined the streets in Barrancas, where Díaz and his wife were abducted on October 28 in anticipation of his return.
Excited members of the community waited with musical instruments and banners in the Díaz’s hometown, in the northern province of La Guajira.
Footage shared online showed neighbours and friends cheering and playing music as a car carrying Díaz made its way through the packed streets.
The 58-year-old was seen getting out of a chopper today in the border area between La Guajira and Cesar, where he was greeted by a UN rescue committee.
The helicopter was seen at Valledupar airport after it was agreed the ELN would hand Díaz over to the committee somewhere in the Serranía del Perijá.
The release happened after it was agreed a commission from the United Nations and the Catholic Church would liaise with the ELN.
The ace’s dad was seen waving as he exited the jet before he was given a medical check and taken to hospital for a more thorough exam.
Following the news of his dad’s release, Luis Diaz is playing for Liverpool this evening in their Europa League clash against Toulouse.
The Liverpool star remained in training during the ordeal, and came on as a late substitute against Luton last weekend.
The Colombian government announced on Wednesday that the operation to release Luis Mane Diaz had already begun but it was actually today when the Liverpool star’s dad was freed.
The rebel group had admitted snatching Diaz was a “mistake” and promised to release him as soon as possible last week but it has taken them till today to free him.
A potential reason for the delay could be a suspected war that has broken out between leaders of the Northern War Front over the ransom for Diaz’s release.
Colombian authorities have offered a reward of $200,000,000 Pesos (£40,600) for Diaz’s return.
Luis Manuel Díaz Jimenez was taken hostage at gunpoint alongside his wife on October 28 in Barrancas.
Diaz’s mum was left in the car and saved by police but left-wing ELN fighters dragged the father away following a pursuit.
But he was released today after being held captive for 12 days.
CCTV footage showed the Díazes being followed by men on motorbikes in their hometown of Barrancas, in the northern province of La Guajira.
Gunmen then accosted the couple at a petrol station, leaving the mother, before police closed in.
Police combed the mountainous Serranía del Perijá area for Diaz during a frantic week-long hunt.
The kidnap sparked outrage in Colombia, where Luis Diaz is immensely popular and plays for the national team.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp dedicated Sunday’s 3-0 Premier League victory over Forest to Díaz, saying it was “for our brother”.
The club today released a statement on Twitter, writing: “We are delighted by the news of @LuisFDiaz19’s father’s safe return and we thank all those involved in securing his release.”
The kidnap is believed to have been masterminded by a female guerrilla fighter called Patricia.
The 40-year-old has spent more than half her life trying to overthrow the Colombian government and install a communist regime.
The guerrilla group has a decades-long history of terror – carrying out military-style assassinations, extortion operations and kidnappings.
It comes after the Colombian military withdrew its troops from the area surrounding the guerillas’ jungle lair.
They confirmed soldiers and police hunting for his kidnappers had been ordered out of the area the nine-day hunt had been focusing on to facilitate his release.
Around 200 men forming part of the search in the Perija Mountains on Colombia’s border with Venezuela have been told to return to the town of Barrancas where he was abducted just over a week ago.
Coronel Giovanni Montanez said: “The troops that are taking part in the search operation for Luis Manuel Diaz are being ordered to carry out a repositioning to give guarantees for the handover of this hostage.”
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