(Mexico City) Ten suspected criminals were shot dead in Mexico on Tuesday in an armed clash with security forces near the capital Mexico City, prosecutors said.
Posted at 5:26 p.m.
“A heavily armed group attacked” the security forces who responded “with the legitimate use of force,” the prosecution said on Twitter. Three officers were slightly injured.
Seven suspected criminals were arrested, four of whom were injured during clashes with live ammunition in the town of Texcaltitlan.
The prosecution claims to have seized 20 AR-15 automatic rifle type weapons, cartridges, five vehicles, bulletproof vests, military uniforms and telecommunications equipment.
Authorities did not say whether the suspected criminals belonged to one of the drug cartels that control certain territories in Mexico.
“We recognize and are proud of the actions carried out, tirelessly, by our colleagues against delinquent groups throughout the State of Mexico,” the prosecution said.
Surrounding the capital, the State of Mexico is the most populous of the 32 entities of the Mexican Federation with 17 million inhabitants.
In addition to drug trafficking, gangs of “organized crime” as the term is used are dedicated to fuel theft, the trafficking of migrants who dream of crossing to the United States, kidnappings and racketeering.
Experts and human rights advocates say the prolonged militarization of the fight against the mafias has exacerbated the violence.
Mexico has recorded more than 340,000 murders and tens of thousands missing since the December 2006 launch of a military offensive against organized crime.
Current leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is calling on security agencies to prioritize intelligence operations over force in the fight against crime.