TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Gunmen carried out two separate attacks on Honduras' northern coast on Thursday, killing at least 16 people, including six police officers, authorities said.
National Police spokesman Edgardo Barahona said the first attack occurred at a plantation in the municipality of Trujillo, where at least 10 workers were shot dead. The second attack took place in the municipality of Omoa in the Cortes department, near the border with Guatemala, where assailants ambushed police officers conducting an anti-gang operation.
Details of the overall death toll remained unclear on Friday as investigators continued to work at the scenes. Barahona noted that relatives of some victims in Trujillo had removed bodies before authorities fully secured the area.
The Trujillo attack targeted rural laborers at a palm plantation in a region long affected by agrarian conflicts. Local media reports described gunmen firing indiscriminately, with some victims found outside a church. No motive has been publicly confirmed for either incident.
In Omoa, officers from the Anti-Maras, Gangs and Organised Crime Police Directorate traveled from the capital Tegucigalpa for the operation. They were fired upon while searching a building, according to police. Among those killed was deputy commissioner Lester Amador.
"The state will act firmly to capture those responsible, protect vulnerable communities and guarantee comprehensive justice for all affected victims," the National Police said in a statement.
Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the region, with violence often linked to gangs, drug trafficking and land disputes in rural areas. The country was under a prolonged state of emergency to combat crime until early 2026.
Security Minister Gerzon Velasquez and military officials have pledged additional forces to the affected areas. Investigations into both attacks are ongoing, with authorities deploying more personnel to the coast.
No arrests have been reported. Officials have not released further details on suspects or possible connections between the incidents.
