They attacked and killed 7 police officers in Peru’s coca-growing region

At least seven Peruvian National Police (PNP) officers were ambushed and killed this Saturday by “suspected terrorists with long-range firearms” in the valley of the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro (Vraem) rivers, Peru’s largest coca-growing region. the country is a region where Sendero Luminoso humbled the last hill.

“We are in mourning when a police vehicle was ambushed while traveling in Natividad town in Vraem, seven policemen died and one policeman survived,” said PNP.

The attack took place near the town of Natividad in the Pichari region of Cuzco state, a part of Vraem that has been closed for more than a decade due to the remains of the Sendero terror group. luminous coexistence with the illegal drug trade.

Police reported that the dead included officers Alfredo Loayza Carbajal, Luis Cerron Palacios, Wilder Eliseo Conozco, Iván Muñoz Fasabi, Sandro Villegas Corahiua, Williams Quispe Anchay, Saul Huarco Samaniego, and the only wounded survivors, Captain Edwin Mego Villogas.

Police sources confirmed to EFE that the deceased officers belonged to the National Special Operations Unit (Dinoes) and the Natividad District Police Station.

CONNECT WITH NARCOS. They also said they are investigating details of what happened and those responsible for the deaths and their ties to the remains of Sendero Luminoso, which operates as an armed protection group for cocaine producers in the area.

Images circulating in the local media show several vehicles on the road, including an overturned truck with bullet marks and police following it.

The Shining Path, which was responsible for most of the losses during the country’s internal conflict between 1980 and 2000, has turned into a drug-trafficking mafia in recent decades, and operations have been conducted by the Armed Forces Joint Command for two decades. end these groups

In a statement confirming details of the attack, the Interior Ministry “deeply regrets the loss of seven brave police officers who carried out their duties at the scene” and expressed its condolences to the families of those killed.

“We express our deep sorrow over the death of our brave police officers who were cowardly ambushed in Natividad town center in Vraem. In a statement posted on social media, the Ministry of National Defense said: “We extend our condolences to his loved ones and the entire police family regarding the incident.”

In August 2022, the Peruvian military claimed it had “seriously” injured “comrade José”, Sendero Luminoso leader Víctor Quispe Palomino. Almost all of Sendero Luminoso’s leaders have died or been imprisoned, but his remains, led by “Comrade José”, have about 350 members, about 80 of whom are armed. The guerrilla group emerged as a Maoist organization that launched a so-called “people’s war” in May 1980 after two decades of conflict with the military that left 69,000 dead or missing, according to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.