At least 16 people killed in separate attacks in northern Honduras

Two incidents of gun violence have occurred in Honduras, resulting in at least 16 deaths. On Thursday, gunfire was reported on a remote palm farm in Rigores, part of the municipality of Trujillo in northern Honduras. According to police spokesperson Edgardo Barahona, up to 10 workers were shot dead at the site.

The attack is believed to have occurred when armed suspects fired indiscriminately on labourers, including those who had gathered at a local church. The bodies of the victims, some wearing work boots, were found outside the farm. Local media reported that three sisters were among the deceased.

No motive has been identified for the attack, but northern Honduras has experienced ongoing agrarian conflict in recent years. Human rights experts have warned that local farmers and workers have been forced off their land by armed actors seeking control of fertile territory, leading to sometimes deadly attacks.

Separately, a second incident occurred on Thursday in the Cortes department, near the border with Guatemala. Police officers from Tegucigalpa were sent to Omoa to carry out an anti-gang operation. However, authorities described the event as an ambush, stating that the officers were fired upon when they entered a building to search for suspects.

Six police officers were killed in the incident, including Deputy Commissioner Lester Amador. Suspects may have also been injured or killed during the attack. The National Police has issued a statement, saying it will proceed with a direct intervention in the affected areas and guarantee comprehensive justice for all affected victims.

Honduras was under a state of emergency from 2022 to January, which critics argued weakened civil liberties and gave law enforcement excessive power. The emergency decree ended with the inauguration of right-wing President Nasry “Tito” Asfura, who has prioritized a hardline approach to security in Latin America.

Source: Al Jazeera