QUITO: At least eight people were shot dead in Ecuador's southwestern coastal city of Guayaquil, amid a surge in criminal violence, national police said.
The attack occurred in the Pascuales district on Tuesday, along the Daule highway. "Eight people were killed by gunfire, " police said in a statement, adding that officers were deployed immediately to investigate and pursue those responsible.
Local media reported that the victims were gunned down in Guayaquil's industrial zone, near the Peca area and outside a municipal market, just as vendors were beginning their workday.
Five of the victims were motorcycle taxi drivers, Xinhua news agency reported quoting local TV reports.
Police suggested the spike in violence may be linked to the recent seizure of four assault rifles over the weekend.
Guayaquil, one of Ecuador's most dangerous cities, has seen a string of deadly attacks in recent days. On Sunday, four men were killed in a home in Bastion Popular. On Monday, a married couple was shot dead after dropping off their children at school in the Mucho Lote neighbourhood.
The city, capital of Guayas province, has been under a state of emergency since April due to what the government calls a "grave internal disturbance."
Ecuador has been battling a severe security crisis since President Daniel Noboa declared an "internal armed conflict" in January 2024 against organised crime groups tied to drug trafficking.