Mexican military forces engaged in a clash near the U.S. border in Tamaulipas, resulting in the death of 12 gunmen believed to be associated with a drug cartel, as reported by the state government.
The confrontation occurred during a patrol in the Miguel Aleman municipality, where the troops were ambushed by armed civilians hiding in the bushes around 2 pm local time, according to Tamaulipas’s spokesperson for security.
In the aftermath, a dozen attackers were killed, and the military confiscated “12 long weapons, cartridges, and magazines of various calibers.” Drones and a helicopter were also deployed during the operation.
Tamaulipas, situated on the U.S. border, has been a hotspot for violence linked to organized crime, with frequent clashes between rival gangs vying for control over drug trafficking routes.
Last year, a high-profile incident involved the kidnapping of four U.S. citizens who were later attacked in Tamaulipas, resulting in the deaths of Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard, while Eric Williams and Latavia McGee survived.
A Mexican woman, Areli Pablo Servando, also lost her life in the incident. The Gulf drug cartel later turned over five men to the police, denouncing the violence and claiming responsibility for its own members involved.
In a recent development, Mexican marines arrested a top leader of the Gulf cartel, described as “one of the key leaders of one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Tamaulipas.” The individual, a target of the Drug Enforcement Administration, was apprehended, though his name was not disclosed.
Notably, Mexico has faced a significant toll of violence, with over 420,000 murders and 110,000 disappearances, primarily attributed to criminal groups, since the initiation of a controversial military anti-drug campaign in 2006.
