Guyana Soldiers Attacked by Venezuela Amid Oil Territory Dispute

In a significant escalation of the longstanding territorial dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region made famous by a string of ExxonMobil discoveries, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said on Thursday that its troops were attacked by armed individuals in civilian clothing from the Venezuelan side of the Cuyuni River, the Guardian reported.  According to the GDF, three separate attacks occurred within a 24-hour period along a stretch of the river. No injuries or casualties were reported, and Guyana has stepped up patrols in the region. …