Six dead in northern border military confrontation

Minister of Defense, Maria Fernanda Espinosa

The infantry lieutenant of the Ecuadorian Army, Diego Armando Maldonado Gomez, 28, and five paramilitary, they were killed this Thursday in a crossed fire with an illegal armed group in Colombia.

The exchange of fire was occurred in the border area of Sucumbios province in northern Ecuador, an official source told AFP.

Delgado died during the confrontation with the Illegal Armed Group (GIA), which apparently fired first against a military operations group monitoring the countryside, staff No.1 Operational Command.

The five deaths of GIA occurred during the illegal’s escape. According to the Minister of Defense, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, two other members of the guerrilla group are in the custody of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces.