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Ecuador AG to look for charges against 16 members of military over missing out on youths

Ecuador's attorney general's. office will seek charges versus 16 military workers over. their suspected participation in the required disappearance of four. minors, it stated in a message on Tuesday.

The four minors, aged between 11 and 15 years old,. disappeared in the Pacific coast city of Guayaquil on Dec. 8,. sparking outrage throughout Ecuador.

Their disappearance comes in the middle of a government crackdown on. crime, with President Daniel Noboa designating some 22 wrongdoer. gangs as terrorist organizations and stating a series of. states of emergency situation, allowing members of the military to patrol. streets and help police efforts.

Ecuador's attorney general of the United States through its customized unit. for examining the illegitimate usage of force, demands a date. and time to submit charges against 16 soldiers for their declared. involvement in the forced disappearance of 4 minors in. Guayaquil, the workplace said in a post on X.

The Defense Ministry stated in a different post on X that. the 16 soldiers come from the Andean country's flying force, and. stated they have been apprehended and are under military stewardship.

We're on the side of justice, whether it was a. civilian, a priest, a law enforcement officer, a military officer. included; at the end of the day people need responses, Noboa stated. in an interview with local radio on Monday.

In May, the attorney general's office stated it was

examining 8 extrajudicial killings

allegedly performed by security forces in the middle of the. government's efforts to take apart criminal gangs.

Formerly, the defense minister had said the 4 minors,. all young boys, were detained by a military patrol over an alleged. break-in and taken to a base in Taura before later being. released.

The four boys left home to play soccer on the day they. disappeared, their families have actually informed regional media.

(source: Reuters)