ECUADOR’S president rejected allegations that his country is bombing targets in neighbouring Colombia on Tuesday, as tensions escalated.

President Daniel Noboa said on social media that his government “is fighting narco terrorism in all its forms” and “bombing places that serve as hideouts for those groups, of which many are Colombian” – but only within Ecuadorian territory.

Mr Noboa was responding to allegations from Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Monday that Ecuador had been bombing targets on Colombia’s side of the border.

He said a bomb had been found by Colombian officials and he had asked United States President Donald Trump to persuade Mr Noboa to stop operations in Colombian territory.

Colombian broadcaster RTVC, published photos of an unexploded bomb on Tuesday which it said had been found in a coca field, near the Ecuador border.

The deteriorating relations come ahead of Colombia’s presidential elections in May.

In January, President Noboa imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Colombian imports, claiming Colombia had not done enough to stop drug traffickers and rebel groups from crossing into Ecuador.

President Petro has denied accusations that his government is not acting against Colombian drug traffickers.