Venezuela: 2 dead, 6 injured after illegal miners attack military

CARACAS, Sept 15 (NNN-XINHUA) — At least two people were killed and six wounded after a “premeditated” attack by a group of illegal miners against soldiers in the Venezuelan state of Amazonas, the Bolivarian Armed Forces reported.

The bloodshed occurred on Wednesday, and the illegal miners used bladed weapons and firearms to attack the military, the defense ministry said in a statement.

The deceased were civilians and the injured included three military personnel. All the wounded were being treated in the country’s health network, the ministry said.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered “immediate action in order to deepen investigations,” it said.

The Armed Forces, it said, will continue fighting illegal mining groups that generate other crimes such as forced labor, human trafficking and smuggling. — NNN-XINHUA