Shooting Incident Occurs Along Ecuador-Colombia BorderEcuadorian special forces exchanged fire with unidentified armed men Wednesday near the Colombian border, according to local reports.Soldiers from Ecuador's special forces engaged in fighting with a group of armed men for several hours, reports said. It is not known whether the armed men, apparently coming from the Colombian Province of Cantagallo, were guerrillas or paramilitary forces, it said. It is considered a consequence of "Plan Colombia," which is financed by the United States to fight guerrillas and drug trafficking in Colombia. The plan has caused concerns in neighboring countries that it will expand Colombian conflicts and create a flow of new refugees. Mayors of Ecuador's Amazonia met Ecuadorian President Gustavo Noboa and several State ministers to discuss the negative effects of the plan and corresponding measures. |
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