At least seven people have died as a consequence of the eight hours of intense clashes between armed groups that occurred in the town of Barrancas del Orinoco, municipality of Sotillo, in the state of Monagas, in eastern Venezuela.
The incident occurred on January 1 at around 4.00 in the morning in front of a gas station, reports the Venezuelan news portal Efecto Cocuyo.
According to journalist Pableysa Ostos, the shooting is part of a conflict between the gang Union of Barrancas and another irregular group, who dispute the control of fuel and drug trafficking in the area.
A neighbor has reported that they requested the intervention of the Bolivarian National Guard before the detonations of grenades and the use of R-15 rifles. “That was terrible,” he said in statements on condition of anonymity.
They arrived at the Tulio López Ramírez Hospital dozens of people injured, but there is no official number of injuries. Other sources assure that there are more than 30 deceased, including minors. Some voices denounce the presence of guerrillas in the clashes.
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