Ecuador: Car bombing in Colta February 22

Event

A powerful car bomb exploded in Colta canton’s El Lirio community (Chimborazo province) around 19:00 on Thursday, February 22 (local time), killing one person. The incident occurred on the Balbanera-Pallatanga-Guayaquil highway (Route 487), which was closed overnight February 22-23. The incident is currently under investigation and relatively few official details are available. However, according to unconfirmed reports, security forces are on high alert due to threats of further possible bombings. 

Context

This follows a bombing that occurred on January 27 at a police station in San Lorenzo (Esmeraldas province), located near the Colombian border, in which dozens of people were injured. According to security officials, the attack was likely carried out by former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) militant group in retaliation for security operations targeting drug trafficking near the Ecuadorian-Colombian border. The incident remains under investigation, with assistance from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Ecuador has placed an extra 7000 security personnel in areas along the border with Colombia to counter incursions from ex-FARC dissidents and other criminal groups, as well as members of the ELN guerrilla group.

Advice

Individuals in Ecuador are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior or objects to the relevant authorities.