Cartel Ambush of Mexican Soldiers near Texas Border Kills Six
Cartel members clashed with military forces in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, killing six, including two officers and four gunmen. The weekend shootouts occurred at a time when Mexico’s state and federal authorities are unable to contain a hyperviolent criminal organization running the city.
The border city of Nuevo Laredo is just south of Laredo, Texas, and is considered the busiest commercial land corridor connecting the U.S. with Mexico. The region is considered a bastion for the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) faction of Los Zetas, which rules with a mix of political influence and violent terrorism.
The shootouts took place over the weekend when CDN-Los Zetas gunmen tried to ambush soldiers patrolling the western side of the city near the Reservas Territoriales neighborhood. The gunmen were part of the “Hell’s Troop” strike team, which routinely patrols Nuevo Laredo in convoys of armored SUVs wearing military-style uniforms.
The first clash took place on the western side of the city when gunmen on foot began shooting at soldiers riding in three vehicles. The troops stopped and tried to fight off the attack, however, two were struck by gunfire and died at the scene. The soldiers killed two gunmen — one was shooting from a concealed position.
Once additional soldiers arrived to provide backup, the gunmen fled. Soldiers managed to kill two additional gunmen who were trying to break into a house to escape. All four of the CDN-Los Zetas gunmen were wearing uniforms. Over the weekend, CDN-Los Zetas carried out similar attacks on military forces, however, no additional casualties were reported.
