MEXICO CITY, SEPT 26 – Mexican security forces yesterday killed 11 gunmen after a chase and shootout in the country’s northeast, authorities said, the latest in a series of cartel-related clashes.
An armed suspect was arrested and weapons and vehicles seized, according to a statement from the state government of Nuevo Leon.
Authorities launched a manhunt by air and ground after a checkpoint was attacked, with no reports of injuries among security forces.
Later, security forces chased a group of armed men riding in a convoy of around eight pickup trucks, leading to a gun battle in the Los Ramones municipality, according to the statement.
“The result is that 11 criminals were killed,” the statement said.
The arrested suspects were seen on the highway wearing camouflage and carrying weapons and tactical equipment, he added.
Clashes between security forces and suspected cartel members are common in Mexico.
Rising criminal violence, largely related to drug trafficking and criminal gangs, has killed more than 450,000 people in the Latin American country since 2006. – AFP
