Ecuador forces field AMX-13 tanks in anti-mining raid

The Ecuadorian Army launched a military operation near the Colombian border targeting an illegal mining complex tied to organized criminal groups, deploying AMX-13 light tanks, mortars, and armed helicopters in a coordinated ground-and-air assault.

The operation took place in the El Chical area of Carchi province in northern Ecuador, a region close to the Colombian frontier that has become a focal point for illegal extraction networks and cross-border armed group activity. The military said the strike was part of a broader campaign against what officials described as a “mining mafia,” aimed at dismantling illicit revenue streams used by criminal organizations operating in the area.

According to Ecuador’s Ministry of National Defense and statements from the Ejército Ecuatoriano, the operation—identified in military communications as “Impacto Total” and referenced by local outlets as “Fuego Mortal” or “Deadly Fire”—used a combined-arms approach designed to destroy underground mining infrastructure and deny access to illicit gold extraction sites.

The Ecuadorian Army said the force deployed three AMX-13 tanks, 81mm mortar fire, H125M Fennec light attack helicopters armed with 12.7mm ammunition, and crew-served weapons firing 7.62mm rounds. During the operation, troops reportedly fired 40 mortar rounds and more than 5,520 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition in support of the assault.

As noted by the Ecuadorian Army in an official statement, “During Operation ‘Total Impact,’ AMX-13 tanks were used to disable 15 mine entrances and destroy more than 5,000 sacks of gold-bearing material, as well as infrastructure used by criminal groups.”

The military further said the operation was directed against a structure linked to the armed criminal group “Los Lobos,” allegedly led by an individual identified by the alias “Uruguayo.” According to the statement, the group operated in the area through threats and intimidation against local communities and mining workers.

The Ecuadorian Army added: “An approximate economic impact of USD 3 million to illicit economies is estimated.”

According to the Ministry of National Defense, illegal mining groups in the region are believed to generate around $300,000 per day in illicit revenue. That estimate helps explain the scale of force used in the operation, which lasted four days and reportedly aimed to destroy as many as 50 mine entrances through sustained bombardment and concentrated fire.