Elite teams from the Ecuadorian armed forces carry out patrols and searches to combat crime in conflict-prone sectors of the city of Quito. They are looking for weapons, drugs and possible members of the "terrorists", as the central government calls organized crime groups. Juan Diego Montenegro/dpa
In the midst of recent violent clashes between criminal gangs and state security forces in Ecuador, 41 prison officers who had been taken hostage have been released.
A total of 24 prison guards and 17 administrative staff have been released, the penitentiary authority announced on Saturday.
However, 136 prison officers are still being held by prisoners in several prisons throughout the South American country.
One guard was killed and another injured in fights in one prison, the statement added. Criminal gangs had recently rioted in several prisons and seized numerous guards.
