JAKARTA - The attack of an armed man killed 17 people and injured 11 others at a bar in Guayas Province, Ecuador. Authorities are investigating this incident.
The Ekuadro Prosecutor's Office said more than 40 ballistic evidences were found at the scene. Photos shared by local media showed bodies lying, some covered in white cloth.
The attack on Sunday, July 27, took place in the city of El Empalme, about 160 km (100 miles) north of the city of Guayaquil. The region is considered one of the most dangerous areas in Ecuador as organized criminal groups are scrambling for control over major drug smuggling routes.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa at the beginning of last year declared an "internal armed conflict" but despite state measures, violence has increased significantly, especially in Guayas.
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Although Noboa has touted a 15% drop in deaths from violence last year, its number has jumped 47% from year to year in the first six months of 2025, reaching 4,619.
Last month, Ecuador's national assembly approved reforms that gave the government more legal authority to confront armed groups and dismantle drug trafficking networks that were the source of their activities.
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