QUITO, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed early Friday in an armed attack in the coastal city of Machala in Ecuador's El Oro province, local police said.

The incident occurred in the El Triunfo neighborhood, where a taxi carrying the victims was intercepted by armed individuals who opened fire. Three occupants died at the scene, while the fourth was taken to a health center and died hours later.

The victims included three men, one of whom had a criminal record, and a woman, according to the police. Preliminary investigations suggested the attack may be linked to criminal violence and retail drug trafficking.

Machala has seen several deadly attacks since the beginning of 2026, and El Oro province remains under a state of emergency amid rising crime.

Ecuador has been in a declared "internal armed conflict" against organized crime groups linked to drug trafficking since January 2024. ■