According to the Army, the officers participated in an operation against illegal mining when they were surprised by explosives, grenades and rifle shots; President Daniel Noboa decreed three days of mourning
The president of EcuadorDaniel Noboa, decreed national mourning of three days this Saturday (10) after the death of 11 military personnel in an ambush in Amazon rainforestin the province of Orellana, a region near the border with Peru. The attack is attributed to the Commands da Border group, dissent of the extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which currently negotiates a peace agreement with the Colombian government.
According to the Ecuadorian army, the military participated in an operation against the illegal mining When they were surprised by explosives, grenades and rifle shots. A soldier was injured, and a member of the armed group was killed in the confrontation. The presidency declared the military dead as national heroes and promised that “the crime will not be unpunished.” “We will find the responsible and end with them,” he wrote Noboa on social networks. The official tribute extends from May 10 to 12. Videos released by the Ministry of Defense show soldiers boarding a helicopter shortly before the attack.
The ambush occurs in a moment of growing violence on both sides of the border. The trafficking in cocaine – Produced in Colombia and drained by Ecuadorian ports towards the United States and Europe – has fueled the power of criminal organizations in the region. In response to the attack, the Colombian army declared maximum alert in border areas. “Our units are on alert and ready to cooperate,” said Colombian commander Luis Emilio Cardozo.
The Amazon region of the Alto Punino is the target of dispute between several gangs, such as Ecuadorians Los Choneros, Los Lobos and Los Tiguerones, as well as the Red Command, Brazilian faction. The border commands, a group accused of the attack, are negotiating with the Colombian government, but still without significant advances. Its leader, Andrés Rojas, known as “Spider”, was arrested in February during a meeting with representatives of President Gustavo Petro in Bogota.
Since the demobilization of the FARC in 2017, the border commands have been able to restructure quickly. According to experts, the group is today one of the main threats to safety in the region. In April 2024, Rojas was included by Ecuador on the list of “military targets” alongside heads of the Sinaloa cartel. Violence spreads across the country: illegal mining on Rio Punino quadrupled in 2024, and complaints indicate connections between criminal groups and illegal mining activities. The Ecuadorian government offers rewards for information about those responsible for the attack.
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Despite the zero tolerance policy against Noboa’s organized crime, Ecuador faces a wave of violence. According to official data, there are now about 40,000 members of criminal gangs in the country – almost double the number of estimated traffickers and insurgents in Colombia. The country also leads the homicide ranking in Latin America, with an average murder per hour.
*With information from AFP
Posted by Felipe Cerqueira
Source: Jovempan
I have been working as a journalist for over 10 years. In that time, I have covered the news from all corners of the world, and written about everything from politics to business.I’m now a full-time author, and my work can be found at Global happenings. My aim is to bring you up-to-date news and views on global affairs, in a format that is easy to read and understand.
