QUITO, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Four men were killed early Wednesday in an armed attack during a wake in Ecuador's coastal province of Manabi, the National Police said.
The attack took place in the Santa Ana neighborhood in the city of Manta, where mourners gathered for the wake of a taxi driver who had died of a heart attack.
Several heavily armed assailants arrived in a vehicle shortly after midnight and opened fire outside a house, according to preliminary police reports.
Police said more than 60 gunshots were recorded. Two victims died at the scene, while the other two died later despite medical treatment.
With the latest attack, Manabi has recorded 16 such incidents so far in 2026, official data shows.
In Manta alone, more than 260 violent deaths have been reported this year, amid violence that authorities attribute to disputes among criminal groups.
Manabi has been under a state of emergency since June 16, a 60-day measure decreed by the government to allow extraordinary actions against criminal violence and drug trafficking. ■
