WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States strongly condemns recent attacks by armed groups in Ecuador and pledged to increase cooperation with the government, the White House said on Wednesday as violence escalated in the South American country. Inmates in Ecuador are holding more than 130 prison guards and other staff hostage in at least five prisons, while gunmen took over a TV station live on air and explosions erupted around the country in a dramatic wave of fresh violence this week. “We strongly condemn the recent criminal attacks by armed groups in Ecuador against private, public, & govern…