Gang clash in Ecuador prison leaves 14 dead

Ecuadorian police said 14 inmates were killed and over 10 others injured after a violent clash between rival gangs inside a prison in the coastal city of Machala.

The National Police said the fighting broke out early Monday in the Zaruma wing of the Machala men’s prison in El Oro province, a coastal region in southern Ecuador near the border with Peru, involving members of the Los Lobos and Sao Box gangs.

National Police Chief William Calle told local media that 14 people were killed and 14 others were injured in the clash.

Among the dead was a prison guard, while two police officers were wounded and several others were taken hostage during the incident, according to El Comercio.

Nearly 300 tactical officers entered the facility after receiving an alert around 2 a.m., confronting inmates who were armed and trying to escape. Authorities said 13 prisoners who attempted to flee were recaptured, and four firearms were seized.

Earlier this month, the United States formally designated Los Lobos and Los Choneros as terrorist organizations, a move officials said would strengthen cooperation with Ecuador against drug trafficking and organized crime.