Thirteen people were killed in Mexico during a police raid on a house, in an attempt to free two men who had fallen victim abduction.
The operation to free the hostages left four police officers and nine gang members dead after an exchange of fire, while the abduction victims appear to have been released. The incident took place in the Mexican state of Jalisco (west), it was announced on Thursday.
The exchanges of fire around a house in its suburb Guadalajara lasted more than an hour and a half, according to eyewitnesses. The operation allowed the release of two men who had been abducted and held hostage inside, prosecutor said Luis Mendes Ruiz to journalists.
State Attorney Mendes explained that police officers went there after a call to immediate action alleging that gunmen took two gagged, tied men out of a car.
When police arrived, they were greeted by a woman who assured them that the complaint was false – before the patrol car came under fire.
Así se vivió el entrentamiento en El Salto, que dejó 12 muertes.#ElSalto #enfrentamiento #Jalisco pic.twitter.com/ZWxUkhsSvv
– Jorge Ocegueda (@jorgeoceguedaA) June 24, 2022
Eight suspects were arrested – including three seriously injured – and weapons and ammunition were seized, said Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro.
Earlier this year, ten police officers were killed in the state, one of the worst affected by organized crime gangs, particularly the Jalisco cartel’s New Generation cartel, which authorities have blamed for a series of killings and kidnappings.
Its leader, o Nemesio “El Menzo” Osegera, is one of the most sought after drug lords in the world. THE drug prosecution service Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is offering a $ 10 million reward for information leading to his capture.
According to official figures, Mexico has recorded more than 340,000 murders and tens of thousands of disappearances since the so-called “war on drugs” was launched in December 2006, with the deployment of the armed forces at home.
The article Mexico: 13 killed in police hostage rescue operation published in NewsIT .