Colombian Officials Identify 2 Suspects In Kidnapping Of Liverpool Star Luis Diaz's Father

Colombian police have allegedly identified two people who may have been among the people involved in the kidnapping of Liverpool star Luis Diaz's parents.

Diaz's mother Cilenis Marulanda and father Luis Manuel Diaz were kidnapped on Saturday by armed men on motorcycles in Barrancas, a region part of Colombia's northern La Guajira state. Though the police rescued Marulanda the same day, the search for Diaz Sr. is currently underway in Colombia.

Colombian authorities offer update

The authorities are said to now be carrying out a thorough search between the municipalities of Barrancas and Fonseca in the vicinity of the Perija mountain range. La Guajira, a desert region bordering Venezuela, is known to be a hotspot for armed groups smuggling contraband and cocaine.

The massive search operation, which is being carried out jointly by Colombia's police and army, includes roughly 230 police and army commandos, a Black Hawk helicopter and the use of an airplane with heat-detection sensors.

General Alejandro Zapata, deputy director of the National Police, on Tuesday, suggested that two out of the four kidnappers were identified after their faces were recorded on security cameras, reported Colombian media outlet El Tiempo.

Even the director of the national police, Gen. William Salamanca, who spoke with Diaz on the phone on Sunday to confirm details about his father, is overseeing the rescue mission and is closely involved in the search.

"We have clarity of people who could have been linked to the event. When events like this occur, it is generally not spontaneous, there is prior planning, people who drag people to a place, that is, they locate them so that others can arrive, and that is what we are investigating," General Zapata said in an interview.

While information from Colombia's intelligence has reportedly suggested that Diaz's father is still in the country, they are still racing against time to prevent his abductors from sneaking him into neighbouring Venezuela.

"What we know is that the kidnapping occurs in La Guajira and logically it is close to the border, we do not have at this time any element of judgment that indicates that the border has been crossed. We can't say for sure, but we don't rule it out either. It's quite possible that they're looking for a chance to escape to that place," added General Zapata.

The deputy director also claimed that they have made "progress in the investigation" with the information now being analysed by their intelligence and judicial police.

Liverpool are 'praying' for Luis Diaz's family

Diaz, who has been urged to stay put in Liverpool and not travel to Colombia because of safety reasons, missed the Reds' Premier League match on Sunday.

Liverpool are set to play against Bournemouth in the League Cup on Wednesday. In a pre-match press conference, Jurgen Klopp's assistant Pepijn Lijnders spoke about the matter.

Lijnders heaped praise on the Colombian striker, calling him an "incredible player" before opening up on the "unbelievable relationship" the player shares with the rest of the squad.

"You guys know Lucho [Diaz], he's an incredible player, everybody can see that. We knew this when we got him but then the whole of England could see it and the whole of the world saw it," said Lijnders.

"So we really care about him. The only thing now for us is we try to support him as much as we can. A lot of things are out of our hands – what's completely normal. We hope that the authorities there that they can find his dad and that everything is good. We just pray for that," added Liverpool's assistant coach.

In Liverpool's previous League Cup outing, they defeated Leicester City 3-0 at Anfield in September.