16 gunmen killed, car bomb wounds 3 police officers in Mexico

Multiple clashes connected Thursday betwixt Mexican information forces and alleged criminals near astatine slightest 16 group dormant successful nan violence-plagued confederate authorities of Guerrero, nan subject said, connected nan aforesaid time that a car explosive near extracurricular a constabulary position successful occidental Mexico wounded 3 officers. 

A first skirmish occurred successful nan municipality of Tecpan de Galeana, adjacent nan Pacific coast, wherever 2 were killed and 4 much injured.

Later, information forces battled pinch a criminal group that had attacked a subject guidelines successful nan aforesaid area, sidesplitting 14 gunmen, according to a connection by nan SEDENA nationalist defense secretariat.

Guerrero, 1 of Mexico's poorest states, has endured years of unit linked to turf wars betwixt cartels fighting for power of supplier accumulation and trafficking.

Last year, 1,890 murders were recorded successful nan state, which is location to nan beachside edifice metropolis of Acapulco, a erstwhile playground of nan rich | and celebrated now blighted by crime.

In early October, nan politician of Guerrero's superior metropolis was killed little than a week aft taking office, pinch his decapitation sparking outrage astir nan state and demands for much protection.

Farther northbound connected Thursday, successful Guanajuato state, a car explosive detonated extracurricular a constabulary station, wounding 3 officers, section officials said.

Forensic technicians activity astatine nan segment of a car explosive onslaught successful downtown Jerecuaro, Guanajuato state, Mexico October 24, 2024. Ivan Arias / REUTERS

The blast damaged nan constabulary station, 4 houses and respective homes but nan constabulary officers were nan only group hurt, nan section said.

Officials said different explosion, apparently a 2nd car bomb, occurred successful nan adjacent municipality of Jerecuaro. Although cipher was wounded, nan unit of that 2nd blast was capable to rustle nan tile tile disconnected a building, blacken nan facades of surrounding stores and group alight a constabulary patrol pickup truck.

The near-simultaneous attacks successful 2 different towns located astir a half-hour distant from each different suggested nan engagement of supplier cartels that person been fighting bloody turf battles for years successful Guanajuato.

The cardinal region is simply a thriving business hub and location to respective celebrated tourer destinations, but it is besides now considered Mexico's astir convulsive state.

On October 4, nan bodies of 12 slain constabulary officers were recovered successful different areas of Salamanca, a municipality successful Guanajuato.

Cartel wars persist

Officials opportunity unit successful nan authorities stems from a conflict betwixt nan section Santa Rosa de Lima pack and nan Jalisco New Generation cartel, 1 of nan astir powerful successful each of Mexico.

"I want to beryllium very emphatic: our privilege is nan pacification of Guanajuato, and we will execute this analyzable task together," authorities politician Libia Garcia said connected societal media aft Thursday's attack.

She said an aerial and crushed cognition had been launched involving authorities information forces to support nan municipal police.

Mexico has suffered much than 450,000 drug-related killings since nan authorities started utilizing nan subject to conflict nan cartels successful 2006.

President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took agency connected October 1, has pledged to proceed her predecessor's "hugs not bullets" strategy of utilizing societal argumentation to tackle crime astatine its roots, while besides making amended usage of intelligence.

"The warfare connected narcotics will not return," she said, referring to nan U.S.-backed violative launched successful 2006.

The northwestern cartel stronghold of Sinaloa has besides seen a spike successful unit since nan July apprehension of supplier lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada successful nan United States. Last month, he pleaded not guilty successful a U.S. supplier trafficking lawsuit that accuses him of engaging successful execution land and ordering torture.

On Monday, Mexican troops changeable dormant 19 suspected Sinaloa Cartel members aft coming nether attack.

Zambada's seizure triggered infighting betwixt his supporters and gunmen loyal to imprisoned cartel laminitis Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and his sons.

Zambada accused Joaquin Guzman Lopez,-- 1 of El Chapo's sons who led a faction of nan cartel known arsenic nan "Chapitos" -- of kidnapping him and handing him complete to U.S. rule enforcement.

According to an indictment released by nan U.S. Justice Department past year, nan "Chapitos" and their cartel associates utilized corkscrews, electrocution and basking chiles to torture their rivals while immoderate of their victims were "fed dormant aliases live to tigers." El Chapo's sons were among 28 Sinaloa cartel members charged in a monolithic fentanyl-trafficking investigation announced successful April 2023.

El Chapo is serving a life condemnation successful a maximum information situation successful Colorado aft being convicted successful 2019 on charges including supplier trafficking, money laundering and weapons-related offenses.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In:
• Drug Cartels
• Mexico
• Cartel