Hostage crisis at Ecuador’s TV station ends — RT World News
Security personnel released TV station employees who were held at gunpoint by criminal gangs
National Police Chief Cesar Augusto Zapata Correa announced on Tuesday evening that the hostage crisis at a television station in Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, had ended with the arrest of all the attackers and the rescue of the captives.
Masked gunmen stormed TC TV's headquarters earlier that day, interrupting live broadcasts and holding journalists and other staff captive. The attack occurred amid a national state of emergency declared by President Daniel Noboa in response to prison riots and gang attacks that swept the country on Tuesday.
Soon, heavily armed security forces arrived at the scene, entered the television station building, arrested 13 attackers and were able to extract them.”Weapons, explosives and other evidence.” Zapata Correa said. He added that all the hostages had been released. No casualties were reported.
Police operation in @tctelevision He left behind 13 detainees, weapons, explosives and other evidence. The hostages were released and the workers were taken to safety. The perpetrators will be brought to justice and punished for the terrorist acts. pic.twitter.com/9KEXWvDfzZ
-a graduate. Cesar Augusto Zapata Correa (@CmdtPoliciaEc) January 9, 2024
He added that the perpetrators will be brought to justice to be punished for their terrorist acts. The police chief wrote on X (formerly Twitter), pledging to enforce the law “We will not allow acts of violence to threaten order and peace.”
A video posted on social media shows police escorting detainees out of the building.
The released employees were photographed hugging their loved ones and praying outside the television headquarters.
Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Alvarez said in a press conference that at least eight people were killed and two injured in Guayaquil on Tuesday. President Noboa earlier authorized the army to neutralize the criminal gangs he described “Terrorist organizations and non-state belligerents.”
You can share this story on social media:
