ALBAWABA - At least 10 people have been killed, including two law enforcement officers in what Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa declared as "internal armed conflict".
The declaration comes after several gunmen stormed a TV studio and opened fire inside the premises threatening random executions on a second day of violence across the Latin American country following the escape of the leader of the Los Choneros gang and druglord Jose Adolfo Macias, aka "Fito", triggering riots in at least six correctional facilities.
Retaliating against Noboa's declaration, Los Choneros gang members took hostage a number of police officers and triggered explosions in multiple cities across Ecuador.
General Commander of the National Police, César Zapata said in a statement that at least four firearms, two grenades, and “explosive material” were recovered and 13 people were arrested in links with the TC Television’s live broadcast takeover.
"They wanted to enter the studio so that we could say what they wanted, I guess their message," TC Television anchor Jorge Rendon said.
An Ecuadorian woman spoke to CNN regarding the unrest in her area. "Cars were going the wrong way; everyone was just trying to get through," she said.
"The scariest part was seeing the desperation, seeing businesses shutting down, desperate people, including children and women, running frantically in avenues only meant for cars" she added.
Authorities reported multiple explosions and cars set ablaze on Tuesday, including in the capital Quito, and said seven police officers had been kidnapped.
A video circulating on social media showed three of the kidnapped officers sitting on the ground with a gun pointed at them as one is forced to read a statement addressed to Noboa, AFP reported.
"You declared war, you will get war," the terrified officer reads. "You declared a state of emergency. We declare police, civilians, and soldiers to be the spoils of war".
