Ecuador Colombia Border: Quito Prepares Joint Military Operations With Bogotá and the US

Ecuador, Colombia and the United States are preparing joint military operations along their shared border, with field teams granted autonomy to target irregular armed groups, Defence Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo revealed on 27 August. The teams would operate based on "targets of opportunity" spotted by patrols, flyovers or drones, without pre-planned operations.

Loffredo discussed the plan with Colombian counterpart Jorge Eduardo Mora, who mentioned the possibility of unified command posts for surveillance operations. The initiative comes as a "golden opportunity" with a new Colombian president and a US-backed security initiative in place. However, details such as the start date, troop numbers and rules of engagement remain undisclosed.

The US role in the strategy will be determined through talks with the Southern Command. Ecuador's northern provinces border Colombia's coca-growing belt, making it a battleground for dissident guerrilla factions and trafficking groups. The homicide rate in Ecuador has soared from 5.8 per 100,000 people in 2017 to over 50, making it one of the highest in the region.

While the plan is still in preparation, the cooperation between the three countries has precedent, with joint air strikes conducted in March against a dissident rebel site. However, the plan is not yet a published order, leaving questions about potential risks and domestic implications.