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26JAN25 "Today (Sunday) marks the 30th anniversary of the war that broke out between Ecuador and Peru. On January 26, 1995, Ecuadorian soldiers began operations to evict the Peruvian military from the Cordillera del Cóndor. For 20 minutes, special forces soldiers attacked the Peruvians with mortars. This was the start of the Cenepa War. The two sides were fighting over a disputed border area in southeastern Ecuador, at the headwaters of the Cenepa River. The commander of Ecuador's land forces was General Paco Moncayo who would later become mayor of Quito. The fighting lasted just over a month. Thirty-four Ecuadorian soldiers were killed, while the Peruvians lost 60. Mediation efforts by several South American countries and the United States paved the way for the opening of diplomatic talks that ultimately led to the signing of a definitive peace agreement in 1998. Every year, Ecuador honors its fallen heroes of that war."