Twenty two people were killed in gun battles in Ecuador's largest city Guayaquil on Thursday, in what police said was a potential dispute between factions of the Los Tiguerones criminal gang fighting for control of parts of one neighborhood.

Gangs, drugs and public safety threats are ravaging Ecuador’s largest city and may push the president to seek help from the United States.

The government of President Daniel Noboa, who is running for reelection in an April run-off, has intensified security operations over the past several weeks in the country’ most violent areas as part of a war on drug gangs declared by Noboa.

Rival factions of an Ecuadoran drug trafficking gang fought Thursday in the violent port city of Guayaquil, leaving at least 22 people dead, officials said.

Rival factions of an Ecuadoran drug trafficking gang fought Thursday in the violent port city of Guayaquil, leaving at least 22 people dead, officials said. Another three people were wounded in a series of clashes in the city,

Infighting between factions of a gang vying for control over territory in Ecuador's largest city Guayaquil left nearly two dozen people dead, authorities said on Friday.

Twenty two people were killed in gun battles in Ecuador's largest city Guayaquil, in what police said was a potential dispute between factions of the Los Tiguerones criminal gang fighting for control of parts of one neighborhood.