Four Peruvian soldiers drowned while trying to swim across a river in the Andes to reach a town where protests demanding the resignation of Peru’s president have turned violent, military officials said Monday.
Two soldiers also were missing and five suffering hypothermia following attempts to cross the Ilave River on Sunday, the Defense Ministry said, adding that the ministry lowered its flag to half-staff to mourn the deceased.
The soldiers were trying to get to the Puno region town of Juli to help secure the area following protests Saturday that turned violent and left five civilians injured and a police station and courthouse on fire.
4 soldiers drown in river while responding to protests
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