Mexican border battle: soldiers kill 25 suspected drug cartel members
Irish Times2010-09-04
SOLDIERS HAVE killed 25 suspected cartel members in a raid and gun battle near the US border that has seen a surge in drug gang violence. A reconnaissance flight over Ciudad Mier in Tamaulipas state spotted several gunmen in front of a property, according to…
POLICE CAR BOMB IN MEXICAN BORDER TOWN KILLS 4
“For this to be an improvised grenade attack, in some capacity, it doesn’t surprise me,” said Fred Burton, vice president of intelligence at Stratfor, a privately owned global Intelligence service. But if this particular car bomb was manufactured to the level of sophistication similar to those used by terrorist groups like Hezbollah, then this is a significant event, Burton said. “The devil is in the details,” he added. Jose Marulanda, a security analyst based in Bogota, Colombia, called Friday’s bombing a “turning point” in Mexico’s drug war and found it remniscent of Colombia’s own battle with cartels and car bombs in the 1990s. “Because if they decide to start using car bombs one against the other … then the whole society, bystanders, innocent people could be affected,” he told CNN. He said that while Friday’s car bombing did not appear very sophisticated, he noted that Mexican drug cartels are often advised by former members of Colombian cartels. He said the Colombian cartels are influenced by FARC, the guerrilla group which has waged war against the Colombian government for decades and “has a lot of experience with explosives.” “We could expect more sophistication day after day if they decided to go on with these car bombs,” he said. According to Seguro, the Juarez cartel claimed the deadly incident in a graffiti message found in downtown Juarez. In what appears to be black spray paint, the violent drug cartel wrote, “what happened on September avenue will keep
Calderon asking Mexican public to report drug criminals
Mexican President Felipe Calderon is asking citizens to support the fight against drug violence. Calderon’s televised message to the nation last night came just hours after troops killed 15 suspected gang members in the colonial town of Taxco, which is popular with foreign visitors. June is headed toward being the deadliest month yet in Mexico’s drug war. Calderon urged Mexicans to report criminals to authorities and help defeat the brutal drug cartels. A phone number for anonymous tips flashed on the screen as he spoke. Calderon says, “This is a battle that is worth fighting because our future is at stake.” The crackdown on drug cartels has seen more than 23000 people killed since late 2006 when thousands of troops and federal police were deployed to drug hot spots. Mexican officials attribute much of the bloodshed to turf battles between drug cartels, but the gangs are increasingly turning to attacks on police and prosecutors.
photo: AP / Guillermo Arias
Clashes between soldiers, gunmen in northern Mexico leave 30 suspected cartel members dead Star Tribune
Mexican army kills 25 drug suspects in shootout MSNBC
Mexican military says 25 gunmen killed in shootout with soldiers near US border KDVR
Mexican drug shootout leaves 25 suspects dead San Fransisco Chronicle
Drug hitmen dump 72 bodies at Mexican ranch The Star
Update: Soldiers kill 30 in two shootouts in northeast Mexico LA Daily News
American Report 