24-10-2023 (MEXICO CITY) In a brazen attack in the drug-trafficking battleground of southern Mexico’s Guerrero state, assailants mercilessly gunned down at least 13 local police officers on Monday, according to a state government source cited by Reuters.
Among the fatalities, the town of Coyuca de Benitez’s local security chief fell victim to the violence. The town is situated to the west of the renowned beach resort of Acapulco.
In a subsequent statement issued later that Monday, state officials confirmed plans to bolster security in the region, involving the deployment of navy personnel and National Guard agents. However, the statement did not specify the number of police officers killed in the ambush.
Coyuca de Benitez has long been recognized for the pervasive presence of organized crime.
The fatal incident transpired after the officers were dispatched to respond to reports of gunfire in the area, as detailed by the anonymous source. Over the past decade, violence has soared in Guerrero, driven by the struggle for control over the opium poppy trade and other illicit smuggling routes, with a rising number of criminal groups vying for dominance.
Official data reveals a grim picture of the situation. During the first nine months of this year, nearly 1,100 individuals lost their lives in the state, marking a troubling increase of almost a quarter compared to the preceding year.
