Explosions in Colombia-Ecuador Border: Deaths and Tensions

Today is March 18th. Here's what's making headlines worldwide. Explosions rocked cocaine

labs near the Columbia Ecuador border in January, killing 14 people.

Columbia's defense minister, Pedro Sanchez, confirmed the deaths this week while addressing

claims from President Gustavo Petro. Petro had accused Ecuador of bombing Colombian soil

and leaving 27 charred bodies behind. Petro made those suggestions earlier this week

without sharing evidence. Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa quickly denied it,

insisting his forces only targeted drug traffickers inside Ecuador's borders. Those sites were

hideouts for narco groups, many linked to Colombia. The incident has sparked tension between the

neighbors. Sanchez noted that a bomb found in Colombia might belong to Ecuador's military.

Both countries are now jointly investigating possible sovereignty violations. Sanchez provided more

details on the deaths. The 14 victims were burned alive in the labs with two others dying

similarly on January 24th. The exact cause and culprits remain under review. Meanwhile, Ecuador

kicked off major security operations on Sunday across four Pacific provinces to fight gang violence.

The shared border is a key route for drugs heading north to the United States by sea.

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