15 officers wounded during prison raid in Ecuador

Fifteen members of the Ecuadorian armed forces were wounded Thursday during a raid on the El Litoral prison, the largest in the country. Inmates who were to be relocated to another prison threw grenades when the military and police entered the facilities. Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso said he requested the armed forces to "act with force, but within the rule of law. "

The government said 2,600 officers from the armed forces and police took part in the operation. In recent days, nearly 1,000 inmates were relocated in an effort to reduce the population and avoid possible confrontations between rival gangs. Two inmates were injured, and six others were killed during fights inside the prison.