Armed attack in Ecuador’s Manabi kills at least 6
At least six people were killed, including a two-year-old girl, after an armed attack in Ecuador’s coastal province of Manabí, one of the country’s most violent regions, police said on Sunday.
According to Ecuador’s National Police, the shooting took place along a beachfront boardwalk in the municipality of Puerto López, a popular coastal town on the Pacific coast, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
Manabí police commander Wladimir Acurio said gunmen opened fire on a sports field located opposite the beach, in a crowded area surrounded by fish stalls and local businesses. Three additional people were wounded in the attack.
Authorities believe the shooting was linked to disputes between organized crime groups, as Ecuador continues to battle escalating gang-related violence connected to drug trafficking routes.
Following the attack, police reinforced security and patrols in Puerto López, deploying units from the:
Special Operations Group
Special Mobile Anti-Narcotics Group
Public Order Maintenance Unit
The Ecuadorian government declared Manabí province under a state of emergency in August, citing a sharp rise in violent crime.
In January 2024, President Daniel Noboa declared that Ecuador was facing an “internal armed conflict” against powerful criminal organizations involved in narcotics trafficking, marking a significant shift in the country’s security policy.
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