Four Nicaraguan police officers killed near the border with Costa Rica

Nicaraguan police said four of the country’s police officers were killed near the border with Costa Rica on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Nicaraguan officials claim that the officers were shot and killed in the municipality of San Carlos, a town at the source of the San Juan River just 10 kilometers north of the Costa Rican border. Nicaraguan police placed blame on “Banda el Jobo,” a group they said has a base in Costa Rica and is accused of drug trafficking and armed robbery.

The Costa Rican Ministry of Public Safety issued a statement saying that Costa Rica is not being used to attack neighboring countries.

“Our ministry maintains a police presence in our northern border and in no moment have we detected that our territory is being used by a criminal group to attack neighboring countries,” said Allan Obando Flores, director of the Costa Rican border police. “We reaffirm our commitment to not allow any type of attack of that kind with bordering countries.”

Obando also said that police have permanent patrols along the border to guarantee citizen safety and territorial integrity.

The Nicaraguan police were contacted by phone and email by The Tico Times and asked what evidence led them to conclude the attack was committed by “Banda el Jobo,” but they offered no specific details.

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