At least 9 killed in 2 armed attacks in Ecuadorian coastal province

QUITO, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed in two near-simultaneous armed attacks in Ecuador's Pacific coastal province of Manabi on Monday, the National Police said.

The first attack, which left seven dead, occurred in the rural area in the Jama municipality. The second attack took place in the seaside resort in the municipality of San Vicente, where two people died.

According to preliminary reports, both incidents happened in the early hours of Monday, when armed men intercepted the victims. The motives are still under police investigation.

The attacks occurred just days after a Manabi massacre on Feb. 12 in the municipality of Santa Ana, where six people were killed in a rural estate.

The violence unfolded amid heightened insecurity in Manabi, a province affected by organized crime disputes, including drug trafficking and conflicts over territorial control, prompting the federal government to impose a "state of exception" in August to confront the escalating violence. ■