Eight people were killed and two others wounded when a group of gunmen opened fire on a crowd outside a nightclub in a town in southwestern Ecuador, police said Sunday (August 10). Law enforcement arrived on the scene following an emergency call alerting them to a shooting, and found "several people wounded and seven bodies," police colonel Javier Chango told a press conference, adding an eighth person died in hospital.&nbsp;The gunmen arrived in two pickup trucks and opened fire on people drinking outside the nightclub at 1:15 am local time (0615 GMT) in Santa Lucia, which has a population of 38,000 in the Guayas Province. Among the dead was the nightclub owner Jorge Urquizo, who was the brother of Santa Lucia's mayor. Police found 800 cartridge cases at the scene.&nbsp;After the attack the gunmen got back in their trucks and fled along an "unknown route," Chango said. The local police picked up a man driving a truck who was carrying a revolver, but were not able to determine whether he was involved in the attack.&nbsp;The police said they have yet to work out a motive for the shooting. The bodies of the dead were taken to a morgue in the neighboring city of Daule. The office of Santa Lucia's mayor Ubaldo Urquizo expressed condolences on Sunday.&nbsp;"We unite in sorrow and prayer for this violent attack that has struck our community," the office said on social media. Ecuador, once a peaceful haven between the world's two top cocaine exporters Colombia and Peru, has seen violence erupt in recent years as gangs with ties to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for control.&nbsp;More than 70% of all cocaine produced in the world now passes through Ecuador's ports, according to government data. Guayas is one of four provinces where President Daniel Noboa recently declared a two-month state of emergency to combat gang violence.&nbsp;However, despite a stepped-up military presence authorities have not stemmed the bloodshed. More than 4,051 homicides were recorded between January and May, according to official figures. Analysts believe it is the most violent start to a year in the country's recent history. &nbsp;

Eight people were killed and two others wounded when a group of gunmen opened fire on a crowd outside a nightclub in a town in southwestern Ecuador, police said Sunday (August 10). 

Eight people were killed and two others wounded when a group of gunmen opened fire on a crowd outside a nightclub in a town in southwestern Ecuador, police said Sunday (August 10). Law enforcement arrived on the scene following an emergency call alerting them to a shooting, and found "several people wounded and seven bodies," police colonel Javier Chango told a press conference, adding an eighth person died in hospital. The gunmen arrived in two pickup trucks and opened fire on people drinking outside the nightclub at 1:15 am local time (0615 GMT) in Santa Lucia, which has a population of 38,000 in the Guayas Province. Among the dead was the nightclub owner Jorge Urquizo, who was the brother of Santa Lucia's mayor. Police found 800 cartridge cases at the scene. After the attack the gunmen got back in their trucks and fled along an "unknown route," Chango said. The local police picked up a man driving a truck who was carrying a revolver, but were not able to determine whether he was involved in the attack. The police said they have yet to work out a motive for the shooting. The bodies of the dead were taken to a morgue in the neighboring city of Daule. The office of Santa Lucia's mayor Ubaldo Urquizo expressed condolences on Sunday. "We unite in sorrow and prayer for this violent attack that has struck our community," the office said on social media. Ecuador, once a peaceful haven between the world's two top cocaine exporters Colombia and Peru, has seen violence erupt in recent years as gangs with ties to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for control. More than 70% of all cocaine produced in the world now passes through Ecuador's ports, according to government data. Guayas is one of four provinces where President Daniel Noboa recently declared a two-month state of emergency to combat gang violence. However, despite a stepped-up military presence authorities have not stemmed the bloodshed. More than 4,051 homicides were recorded between January and May, according to official figures. Analysts believe it is the most violent start to a year in the country's recent history.

Eight people were killed and two others wounded when a group of gunmen opened fire on a crowd outside a nightclub in a town in southwestern Ecuador, police said Sunday (August 10).&nbsp;

Eight dead in shooting outside Ecuador nightclub: Police

Ten people were killed early Sunday in a mass shooting in a rural area of Ecuador that is under a state of emergency, police said.

One of the fatalities in the southwest province of El Oro was a totally dismembered body found in a bag, the police commander in the area, Pablo Fajardo, told reporters.

The incident was the latest in a spate of recent bloodshed, much of it linked to drug gang warfare, in a country once seen as a beacon of stability in South America.

Ecuador has become one of the world's most violent nations and a major drug trafficking hub in recent years.

In the latest attack, people who had rented a rural estate were attacked as they slept before dawn Sunday, said Fajardo.

Some of the bodies were found in the residence and others by a nearby road.&nbsp;

"They were trying to escape this massacre," he said.

No arrests have been made.

Some of the people killed were foreigners, but their nationalities was not immediately known, said Fajardo. &nbsp;

El Oro is one of six provinces in Ecuador that are under a state of emergency as police try to cope with soaring gang violence.

Under these exceptional measures undertaken by President Daniel Noboa, rights such as freedom of assembly are suspended and police have more leeway to search homes without a warrant.

Ecuador registered a record 47 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, up from six murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018.&nbsp;

Noboa's government says its crackdown on gangs allegedly linked to international criminal groups such as Mexico's Sinaloa cartel has reduced the number of murders this year.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience. 
&nbsp;

Ten people were killed early Sunday in a mass shooting in a rural area of Ecuador that is under a state of emergency, police said. One of the fatalities in the southwest province of El Oro was a totally dismembered body found in a bag, the police commander in the area, Pablo Fajardo, told reporters.

Ten people were killed early Sunday in a mass shooting in a rural area of Ecuador that is under a state of emergency, police said. One of the fatalities in the southwest province of El Oro was a totally dismembered body found in a bag, the police commander in the area, Pablo Fajardo, told reporters. The incident was the latest in a spate of recent bloodshed, much of it linked to drug gang warfare, in a country once seen as a beacon of stability in South America. Ecuador has become one of the world's most violent nations and a major drug trafficking hub in recent years. In the latest attack, people who had rented a rural estate were attacked as they slept before dawn Sunday, said Fajardo. Some of the bodies were found in the residence and others by a nearby road. "They were trying to escape this massacre," he said. No arrests have been made. Some of the people killed were foreigners, but their nationalities was not immediately known, said Fajardo. El Oro is one of six provinces in Ecuador that are under a state of emergency as police try to cope with soaring gang violence. Under these exceptional measures undertaken by President Daniel Noboa, rights such as freedom of assembly are suspended and police have more leeway to search homes without a warrant. Ecuador registered a record 47 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, up from six murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018. Noboa's government says its crackdown on gangs allegedly linked to international criminal groups such as Mexico's Sinaloa cartel has reduced the number of murders this year. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Ten killed in mass shooting in rural area of Ecuador

Nine people were killed in a gang-related in northern Ecuador close to the Colombian border on Tuesday (April 11). According to the public prosecutor, dozens of attackers arrived in boats and cars at a small port in Esmeraldas province and then opened fire. Taking to Twitter, the public prosecutor said seven bodies were recovered from the port and two more from a nearby health centre.

Speaking to a local news channel, Interior Minister Juan Zapata said that the shooting was carried out by 30 heavily armed people, adding it was related to "a fight between gangs, a territorial fight," the news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

Zapata said there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people in the port at the time of the shooting. The interior minister added that the shooting happened as fishermen "preferred the security" of one criminal organisation and were targeted by another in retaliation.&nbsp;

Since March 3, the Esmeraldas province has been under a state of emergency due to high levels of crime and violence, as has the port city of Guayaquil. AFP reported on Tuesday that both areas have become increasingly bloody centres of a turf war between rival drug trafficking gangs.

Last month, police found three bodies, including a teenager, wrapped in black bags in the province. Authorities said they were linked to criminal gangs.&nbsp; 
"In three weeks here we have seized 1.2 tons of drugs," Interior Minister Zapata said.&nbsp;

Ecuador has also seen a recent rise in violence and murders related to drug trafficking. In 2021, the country seized a record 210 tons of drugs, mainly cocaine.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Nine people were killed in a gang-related in northern Ecuador close to the Colombian border on Tuesday (April 11). According to the public prosecutor, dozens of attackers arrived in boats and cars at a small port in Esmeraldas province and then opened fire.

Nine people were killed in a gang-related in northern Ecuador close to the Colombian border on Tuesday (April 11). According to the public prosecutor, dozens of attackers arrived in boats and cars at a small port in Esmeraldas province and then opened fire. Taking to Twitter, the public prosecutor said seven bodies were recovered from the port and two more from a nearby health centre. Speaking to a local news channel, Interior Minister Juan Zapata said that the shooting was carried out by 30 heavily armed people, adding it was related to "a fight between gangs, a territorial fight," the news agency AFP reported. Zapata said there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people in the port at the time of the shooting. The interior minister added that the shooting happened as fishermen "preferred the security" of one criminal organisation and were targeted by another in retaliation. Since March 3, the Esmeraldas province has been under a state of emergency due to high levels of crime and violence, as has the port city of Guayaquil. AFP reported on Tuesday that both areas have become increasingly bloody centres of a turf war between rival drug trafficking gangs. Last month, police found three bodies, including a teenager, wrapped in black bags in the province. Authorities said they were linked to criminal gangs. "In three weeks here we have seized 1.2 tons of drugs," Interior Minister Zapata said. Ecuador has also seen a recent rise in violence and murders related to drug trafficking. In 2021, the country seized a record 210 tons of drugs, mainly cocaine. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ecuador: Nine dead in gang-related shooting near Colombian border