Ecuadorian police say eight people were killed and three others injured after gunmen opened fire inside a nightclub.

According to CBS News, the incident occurred on Sunday, August 10, in the rural area of Santa Lucia, considered one of Ecuador's high-risk zones.

Police said the attackers, armed with heavy weapons, arrived on motorcycles and in two cars before opening fire. The motive for the shooting remains unknown.

The violence comes just two days after armed assailants attacked a boat with gunfire and explosives, killing four people and leaving several others missing.

Ecuador has recorded more than 4,600 homicides so far this year, while nearly 7,000 people were killed in the country last year, according to official figures.

Authorities have linked much of the violence to drug trafficking and organized crime groups competing for territory, particularly in coastal and rural areas.

Security experts warn that the wave of deadly attacks underscores the government's struggle to contain escalating violence, which has spread from major cities into smaller communities.

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