Massacre in Ecuador: Eleven Ecuadorian soldiers killed in ambush during illegal mining operation
The attack, carried out by dissident FARC group "Comandos de la Frontera," highlights rising violence in Ecuador’s Amazon region amid crackdowns on illegal mining.
A deadly ambush during a military operation against illegal mining left eleven Ecuadorian soldiers dead on May 9, in one of the worst attacks on the country’s armed forces in recent years. The incident occurred in Alto Punino, in Ecuador’s Amazon region, during a government-led operation targeting unregulated gold extraction.
The Attorney General’s Office confirmed that the soldiers, part of the Jungle Brigade 19 of Napo, were attacked with explosives by members of "Comandos de la Frontera," a criminal group tied to former FARC dissidents. Several soldiers were injured and transported to hospitals in the provinces of Napo and Orellana.
FARC dissidents behind the attack
According to preliminary findings, the perpetrators belong to "Comandos de la Frontera," a group that emerged after the demobilization of the FARC’s 48th Front following Colombia’s 2016 peace agreement. The organization has since expanded into Ecuador, engaging in drug trafficking, extortion, and illegal mining. Insight crime reports the group also has connections with the Ecuadorian gang "Los Lobos."
The Ecuadorian military previously detected the group's presence in 2020, when a heavily armed camp was discovered in Sucumbíos. Since then, "Comandos de la Frontera" have become increasingly active, especially in remote Amazon areas where state presence is limited and illegal mining thrives.
Ecuadorian authorities confirmed that eleven Ecuadorian soldiers died in the operation carried out in Alto Punino. Photo: La República
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Escalating conflict in Alto Punino
Alto Punino has become a focal point of illegal mining operations and armed violence. In 2023, over 1,000 security forces conducted a major raid in the area, destroying illegal mining infrastructure and seizing fuel and equipment. Earlier this year, another shootout between armed groups and soldiers resulted in one death and the seizure of explosives.
The recent massacre has drawn national attention as Ecuador struggles with a broader wave of criminal violence. No official statement has yet been released by the Ministry of Defense, while investigations and recovery efforts continue at the scene.
