Ecuador police capture leader of Colombian dissident rebel group

Ecuador’s police on Monday said they have captured the leader of Colombian armed group Oliver Sinisterra and that Ecuadorean authorities will return him to Colombia.
News of the capture comes amid a military offensive launched by Ecuador’s government to combat criminal gangs.
President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency with nighttime curfew for 60 days at the beginning of January amid spiraling violence in the Andean country and designated 22 criminal bands as terrorist groups.
Carlos L, known as El Gringo, was captured on Sunday night in Imbabura, in the north of Ecuador, following three months of preparations by security forces.
“An immigration hearing will be held so that he can be expelled from Ecuador and sent to Colombia,” Ecuador police commander Cesar Zapata told reporters. “He has a pretty hefty criminal record.”
Zapata has spoken with Colombian police to coordinate the handover, he said.