Three people have died and seven are missing following an armed attack on Wednesday at a mine shaft in Pataz province, in the La Libertad region. According to the mayor of the local district, Aldo Mariños, the attack occurred in an informal mining area linked to the concession of the Grande mine, where criminals violently stormed the site on New Year's Eve. The official death toll is preliminary and is based on reports from the National Police received by midnight on December 31. Due to the severity of the incident, the district government demanded the immediate intervention of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Energy and Mines to curb the wave of violence affecting both formal operations and independent workers in the region. However, local authorities warned that the number of fatalities could increase significantly as rescue teams manage to access the deepest parts of the sinkhole, with unofficial estimates suggesting up to 13 victims. This new attack adds to a worrying series of violent incidents in Pataz, an area where illegal mining mafias and transnational criminal groups are fighting for control over gold deposits.
