Armed assailants struck in southern Chile, killing three law enforcement officers before setting their vehicle ablaze, authorities reported.
The attack, occurring in the Biobío region approximately 400 kilometers south of Santiago, raises security concerns in the country, AP News reports.
The perpetrators remain unidentified, but the incident underscores the escalating conflict between the Mapuche indigenous community and landowners and forestry companies in the area.
The Biobio region and Chile’s Araucanía region have witnessed heightened tensions in recent years, leading to a state of emergency declaration and military deployment by the government to ensure security.
The Mapuche indigenous community, comprising about one in ten Chileans, faces longstanding grievances over land ownership.
Large forestry companies and farm owners control extensive territories originally belonging to the Mapuche, contributing to rural poverty among the indigenous population.
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National Mourning and Presidential Response
Chile President Gabriel Boricdeclared a three-day national mourning period following the attack, …