Tags:

Masked men broke onto the set of a public television channel in Ecuador waving guns and explosives during a live broadcast Tuesday, and the president issued a decree declaring that the violence-plagued country had entered an "internal armed conflict."

The men armed with pistols and what looked like sticks of dynamite entered the set of the TC Television network in the port city of Guayaquil during a news program that was airing live in thousands of homes across the nation and shouted that they had bombs. Noises similar to gunshots could be heard.

In videos posted online, the gunmen, many of whom are wearing masks, can be seen shuffling the TV crew around and forcing them to get on the ground.

No one was killed in the attack, and authorities later said that all the masked intruders had been arrested, 13 in all, and would be charged with terrorism.

People accused of invading and taking over television station TC with weapons and forcing staff to lie and sit down, lie handcuffed on the floor in a police haundout, in Guayaquil, Ecuador,

Authorities have not said who was behind the television station occupation or a series of other attacks that have shaken the South American country recently, but they follow the apparent escapes from prison of two of Ecuador's most powerful drug gang leaders.

Unnamed senior intelligence officials who spoke to The Washington Post reported that the armed men appear to be members of two gangs — Los Tiguerones and Los Lobos.

Alina Manrique, the head of news for TC Television, said she was in the control room at TC Television, across from the studio, when the masked men burst into the building. One of them pointed a gun at her head and told her to get on the floor, Manrique said.