At Least 13 Police Officers Killed in Ambush in Mexico

Oct. 24, 2023

Over a dozen Coyuca de Benítez police officers, including the department's chief, were killed when their vehicles were attacked as crime syndicates continue to fight for control of drug smuggling routes.

Source dpa

MEXICO CITY— At least 13 police officers have been killed in an armed attack in Southern Mexico on Monday, according to local media.

The local police chief in the city of Coyuca de Benítez was among the victims, according to the Attorney General's Office of the state of Guerrero. The motive for the attack was initially unclear.

The officers were travelling in several vehicles when they were ambushed, according to media reports. Coyuca de Benítez is located on the Pacific coast, where several crime syndicates fight for control of drug smuggling routes.

The previous police chief had resigned in January after an assassination attempt on him.

Mexico, a country of 126 million inhabitants, has suffered from high crime and widespread impunity for years. Approximately 32,000 homicides were reported in the country in 2022. Most of the crimes are never solved.

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