Ecuadorian military leaders step down

QUITO, Ecuador, April 10 (UPI) -- Several of Ecuador's top military leaders have stepped down following the resignation of the country's defense minister, senior government officials say.

The leaders of Ecuador's army, air force, navy and the president's chief of staff resigned after President Rafael Correa said U.S. intelligence had been actively manipulating its Ecuadorian equivalent, El Comercio reported Thursday.

The resignations of the military heads and Defense Minister Wellington Sandoval came amid a diplomatic row between Ecuador and Colombia over Colombia's decision last month to enter Ecuadorian territory to kill a Colombian rebel and his followers, who were camped in a secret locale just one mile inside Ecuador.