Ecuadorian military targets drug trafficking group with U.S. support

On Friday, the armed forces of Ecuador conducted a military operation in the Sucumbíos province near the Colombian border. The operation targeted a camp belonging to the Comandos de la Frontera (CDF), a criminal organization linked to former FARC dissidents. According to Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and the Ministry of Defense, the attack was carried out with U.S. support. U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that the Pentagon provided specific assistance at the request of Ecuador to dismantle drug-terrorist networks. General Francis Donovan, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, praised the joint action as a strategic success against narco-terrorism. The operation represents a collaborative effort to counter organized gangs operating across national borders. No specific casualty figures were released by officials in either country during the initial announcement.