Mexican Forces Kill 22 Suspected Gang Members in Shootout
Mexican soldiers killed 22 people on Monday at a warehouse in central Mexico in a firefight that left one soldier injured, the Mexican Defense Department said, according to a USA Today report.
The Mexican government alleged that those killed are gang members but didn't say if they are members of an organized crime group or a drug cartel.
The Defense Department released a statement saying that soldiers were patrolling the town of Tlataya when they approached a warehouse that was being guarded by men with weapons, USA Today reported. Those armed guards fired at the troops.
In total, 21 men and one woman were killed in the shootout, the Guardian reported. Mexican troops also freed three women who are believed to be kidnapping victims. The Mexican soldier that was injured is reported to be in stable condition.
After the gun fight, soldiers recovered 22 automatic rifles, 13 handguns, two shotguns, a grenade and dozens of rounds of ammunition, according to USA Today.
The town of Tlataya, where the battle took place, is in Mexico state, but borders on both Guerrero and Michoacan states, all of which have seen recent gang violence, The Guardian reported.
Mexico state this year has seen an increase in killings linked to drug cartels, the mountains of Guerrero are known to be popular for growing marijuana and Michoacan has seen a 40 percent jump in murders, according to the Guardian.
Monday's firefight was one of the bloodiest in Mexico since President Enrique Pena Nieto took office in December 2012, the Guardian said. Pena Nieto promised to reduce the gang violence that has taken more than 90,000 lives since 2007. Murders in Mexico are down overall, but some parts of the country have seen an increase in homicides.
So far this year, Michoacan has seen its highest murder rate since 1998 despite a concerted government effort to pacify the state, according to the Guardian.