Guayaquil, Ecuador—Armed clashes between rival criminal syndicates broke out inside the Litoral Penitentiary today, leaving seven inmates dead and triggering a large-scale military intervention. The violence began in the high-security wings of the facility, where prisoners used smuggled firearms and improvised explosives to breach internal security gates. Plumes of grey smoke rose above the concrete walls as the fighting spread between cellblocks.

Tactical police units and soldiers equipped with armored vehicles stormed the perimeter to isolate the warring factions. Sounds of heavy gunfire echoed from inside the compound for nearly three hours before authorities managed to regain physical control of the courtyards. Guards were forced to retreat to secure towers during the initial onslaught to avoid being taken hostage.

"The attack was highly organized, targeting specific leaders within the wing to seize control of the contraband routes," a prison administrator said via telephone under condition of anonymity due to personal safety risks. The official confirmed that security forces recovered five automatic pistols and several hand grenades during the clearing operation.

Dozens of frantic relatives gathered outside the prison gates demanding information about the condition of their family members. Military personnel established a secondary security cordon on the access road to keep the crowds back and allow emergency ambulances to transport the wounded. Local hospitals have been placed under armed guard to prevent secondary hit squads from targeting survivors.

Forensic investigators entered the cellblocks late this afternoon to recover the bodies of the seven deceased inmates. Early reports indicate that several of the victims suffered catastrophic injuries from close-range gunfire. Prison reform advocates have immediately renewed criticisms regarding the state's inability to prevent heavy weapons from entering maximum-security zones.

The national penitentiary service announced a complete suspension of all inmate visitation privileges across the province for the next thirty days. Inmates have been locked down inside their cells while search teams conduct a cell-by-cell sweep for hidden weapons caches and communication devices.

The facility houses members of major drug trafficking cartels that use the port city of Guayaquil as a transit hub for international shipping. The ongoing power struggles inside the prison walls directly mirror the turf wars taking place on the city streets.

Engineers are evaluating the structural damage to the cellblocks, including burned administrative offices and breached steel doors. The facility will remain under direct military administration until security personnel can guarantee the integrity of the internal perimeters.