US and Ecuador launch airstrikes on drug traffickers near Colombian border

The drug trafficking camp belonged to the Comandos de la Frontera (CDF), a Colombian crime group made up of FARC dissidents, and had capacity for 50 people, added the military.

US Southern Command (SouthCom), the branch of military that oversees forces in Latin America, executed "targeted action" to advance the goal of "dismantling narco-terrorist networks" at the request of the Ecuadorian government, said Sean Parnell, assistant to the Secretary of War.

Neither Ecuador's defence ministry, nor US Southern Command, have said if there were any casualties in the attack.

Ecuador's government dubbed the operation "Total Extermination".

The operation used helicopters, river boats, and drones to locate and bomb the camp, Ecuador's defence ministry said.

Dramatic footage shared by Mr Parnell showed large explosions and smoke clouds above the camp.

He said the operation demonstrated that "narco-terrorist networks will not find refuge in our hemisphere".

"Total Extermination" followed a similar US-Ecuador joint operation announced earlier this week.

Footage from that military operation shared on social media showed a helicopter taking off.

In a statement, SouthCom Commander General Francis L Donovan said: "We commend the men and women of the Ecuadorian armed forces for their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country."

Ecuador President Daniel Noboa has made cracking down on organised crime a key part of his administration.

His government imposed tariffs on Colombia and he has accused the country of not doing enough to fight drug trafficking.

Mr Noboa will join Latin American leaders at the US government's first "Shield of the Americas" summit in Doral, Florida, on Saturday.

Kristi Noem, who was removed from her role as Homeland Security Secretary, is set to attend as a Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.

She will be joined by the likes of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and 12 Latin American heads of state.

Mr Parnell said Mr Hegseth and Mr Trump had made it their goal to "detect, disrupt, and destroy designated terrorist organisations".

aa

Notably, Venezuelan president Delcy Rodríguez is not set to attend.

Ms Rodriguez, who came into power after the US captured former leader Nicolas Maduro, has been praised by Mr Trump, who said she was "doing a great job, and working with U.S. Representatives very well".

A White House spokesman told Axios that Ms Noem had helped to secure the border, deported hundreds of thousands of undocumented people, and executed a "record-setting counter-drug operations against cartels", which made her an ideal pick for the job.

US Southern Command told GB News it could not provide further information on the attack due to operational security reasons.