The Prosecutor's accusation indicates that the troops who fired on orders had the intention of killing protesters in the city of Ayacucho.    Photo: EFE

Lima, June 24 (RHC)-- Peruvian media reported on Sunday that the prosecutor's office opened an investigation against a group of 20 soldiers for attempted murder in relation to the repression of anti-government protests in December 2022 in the city of Ayacucho that left ten dead and 20 injured.

Although the military denied to prosecutor Mirela Coronel Molero that they will use their weapons against civilians, more than 100 witnesses, including people who were injured, agree that the troops "directed their weapons at the protesters."

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the high number of people seriously injured by gunshot wounds "confirms that there was a pattern in the behavior" of the soldiers in charge of containing the protesters, which contradicts the version of the soldiers involved, who maintain that rhey fired shots in the air and not at the protesters.

In this sense, the Public Ministry formalized the preparatory investigation against at least seven senior officers and one from the National Police as alleged direct perpetrators of homicide classified with treachery in the degree of attempt.

The accusation indicates that the troops who fired on orders, or with knowledge of them, had the intention of killing citizens who were protesting in the city of Ayacucho against the dismissal of then-president Pedro Castillo.

The list of soldiers under investigation is headed by three generals of the Armed Forces who were identified by prosecutor Coronel Molero as "the links in the chain of command during the actions against the protest in Ayacucho."

The patrol leaders and subordinates who were in the area where the repression took place and left several civilians seriously injured also appear as direct perpetrators of the alleged crime of attempted homicide.