Gunmen killed at least 25 people, including six police officers, in attacks across Honduras on Thursday, marking one of the bloodiest days the country has seen in recent years. The violence occurred despite ongoing government efforts to curb organized crime.
Nineteen people were killed when gunmen raided a palm plantation in the municipality of Trujillo in northern Honduras. Local media reported that armed suspects fired indiscriminately at laborers. The oldest victim was 61. Photos showed bodies, some wearing thick rubber work boots, strewn on the ground.
In the west, near the Guatemalan border, six police officers were killed in a shooting in the municipality of Omoa. Police said the officers had traveled to the area as part of an operation to suppress gang activity but were ambushed.
Following the attacks, the National Police issued a statement saying it “will proceed immediately with a direct intervention in the affected areas.” The statement added: “The state will act firmly to capture those responsible, protect vulnerable communities and guarantee comprehensive justice for all affected victims.”
Honduras has struggled to crack down on gang violence. A state of emergency launched in 2022 ended in January with the inauguration of right-wing President Nasry “Tito” Asfura, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, who has prioritized a hardline approach to security in Latin America.
The attacks raise concerns over security and civil liberties. Laws passed earlier this week allow authorities to designate gangs and drug cartels as terrorist groups. A new anti-organized crime unit has also been created.
The Trujillo shooting occurred near the Aguan River Valley, where armed groups involved in drug trafficking and palm oil extraction have been fighting over land for decades. Local farmer groups accuse transnational agribusiness corporations of sponsoring criminal groups. According to Reuters, more than 150 people have been killed or disappeared in the area, with environmental and land rights activists particularly targeted.
Source: www.aljazeera.com