Deadly clash at Venezuela army base, 2 killed

International Desk: A search is under way in Venezuela for 10 men who escaped with weapons after an attack on a military base, President Nicolás Maduro says.

The assault in the north-western city of Valencia was carried out by 20 people, he said. Two were killed, one was injured and seven were arrested.

Earlier, a video posted on social media showed uniformed men saying they were rising against a "murderous tyranny".

Despite the incident, the situation appears to be calm in the country.

On state television, Mr Maduro congratulated the army for its "immediate reaction" in putting down the attack in the early hours of Sunday, saying they had earned his "admiration."

He called the incident a "terrorist attack" carried out by "mercenaries", and said the security forces were actively searching for those who had escaped. "We'll get them," he vowed.

Military vehicles were patrolling the streets in and around Valencia and at least one helicopter was being used in the operation.

The government said that those arrested included a first lieutenant who had deserted. It said the others were civilians wearing uniforms.

Throughout these past four months of often violent protests in Venezuela, the country's army has, several times, reaffirmed its "unconditional loyalty" to President Maduro.

The opposition has tried to test that loyalty. When they organised an unofficial referendum last month to let Venezuelans have their say on the Constituent Assembly, one of the questions asked was whether people wanted the armed forces to defend the existing constitution.

So far, the army has remained by Mr Maduro's side but the video that surfaced on Sunday claiming to be from the 41st Brigade in Valencia and calling for military and civilian action to restore order to the country is an interesting development. One, of course, denied by the Maduro administration who said that most of the men in the videos were civilians, led by a deserter.

Source: BBC




risingbd/Aug 7, 2017/Mukul