13 kidnapped mine workers found dead in Peru

Authorities in Peru have confirmed the discovery of 13 bodies belonging to mine workers who were kidnapped last week in the Pataz province, a region plagued by illegal mining and organized crime.

The victims were found following an intensive police search, days after armed assailants abducted them during an attack on a mining operation, according to a statement by mining company Poderosa.

“We mourn the loss of the thirteen individuals who were cruelly murdered by criminals allied with illegal mining,” Poderosa said, adding that the region has become a lawless territory controlled by criminal groups.

According to the statement, the victims were abducted on April 26 during an armed assault on a local mining site undergoing formalization. The attackers reportedly targeted artisanal miners under contract with the company.

The latest attack raises the total number of workers and artisanal miners killed in the area to at least 39.

In its statement, Poderosa called on the Peruvian government to urgently reconsider its strategy for combating criminal activity in the region. The company said that despite the declaration of a state of emergency and a significant police presence, authorities have failed to halt the deterioration of security conditions in Pataz. It also criticized the Ministry of Energy and Mines for allegedly ignoring requests to intervene against illegal mining operations that are known to shelter criminal gangs.

According to Poderosa, many of the criminal groups operate with impunity, often in areas that are geolocated and identified but remain untouched by law enforcement efforts.

The Peruvian Ministry of the Interior responded Sunday by announcing the deployment of elite units from the National Police, including the Organized Crime Task Force and divisions specializing in kidnapping and homicide investigations. The government said these forces have been tasked with locating and arresting those responsible for the killings.

“We express our deepest sorrow for these irreparable losses and reaffirm our firm decision to eradicate this criminal scourge,” the ministry said. “Our elite agents are fully authorized to use their firearms if circumstances warrant, in strict compliance with the law.”

The operation is being conducted in coordination with Peru’s Armed Forces, and authorities said that the killings “will not go unpunished.”

Separately, police on Sunday rescued 50 miners who had been kidnapped in Huaylillas, a nearby area in the same region. According to the Peruvian National Police, the rescue was carried out during a confrontation involving officers from a local police station and an elite unit.

Two suspects were arrested, and authorities seized seven firearms—including long guns—as well as cellphones and other equipment. Two police officers were injured during the operation.