QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador will launch a major offensive against criminal organizations in three western provinces this weekend with logistical support from the United States, the interior minister said Wednesday.

Speaking to a local radio station, Interior Minister John Reimberg urged citizens to observe an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew from March 15-30 in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas — three of the most violent in the South American country.

Residents under curfew need to stay in their homes and keep the roads clear to facilitate the movement of troops and equipment, he said.

“We do not want collateral victims from the attacks we are about to launch,” Reimberg said. “We have significant support from U.S. forces for the operations we are about to carry out."

The U.S. Embassy in Ecuador didn't immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press.

Asked for a comment Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Southern Command only reiterated the comments offered by Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan following the March 3 strikes: "We commend the men and women of the Ecuadorian armed forces for their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country.”

The announcement came days after Ecuador and the U.S. began joint military operations against organized crime groups in the South American country, although at the time neither government gave details of the location and scope of the operation.

The attacks against violent criminal groups are aimed at “destroying what they have built in various parts of the country,” Reimberg said, although he declined to provide specific details, citing security concerns.

Since early 2021, Ecuador has faced a relentless offensive by organized crime groups which, according to police, maintain close ties with drug trafficking cartels in Colombia and Mexico.

Ecuador is considered a logistical hub for drug trafficking, serving as a staging and distribution point for narcotics entering the country — primarily from Colombia, though shipments also arrive from Peru. According to authorities, these illicit shipments are transported from Ecuadorian seaports to Central America, the United States and Europe, among other destinations. ___

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