Mexico: 13 police officials gunned down in Guerrero state

Gunmen in southern Mexico on Monday killed at least 13 police officials in Guerrero state, including the local police chief of the city of Coyuca de Benitez, according to local authorities and media reports.

What we know

Unidentified attackers targeted a security patrol, according to prosecutor Alejandro Hernandez, killing at least 13 people and wounding two others. 

Hernandez had earlier said at least 11 of those killed were members of the municipal police force. The state prosecutor's office later said two more officials had died.

Authorities said a senior state security official was traveling in the convoy that was attacked, but did not confirm media reports if he was among those killed.

Spate of violent attacks

Another attack, in the neighboring state of Michoacan, targeted the brother of the mayor of the town of Tacambaro, according to the state prosecutor's office.

While the mayor's brother was injured, two others including a policeman were killed, authorities said.

In a third incident, a gunfight broke out between suspected drug dealers in the central Mexican state of Puebla. This left at least six dead and two injured, according to the regional government.

Mexico has suffered from high rates of violent crime coupled with a struggling criminal justice system. Approximately 32,000 homicides were reported in the country in 2022, however, most crimes are never solved.

Based on watchdog group Common Cause's data, 341 police officers were killed in Mexico this year so far, compared to 403 in 2022.

ss/kb (AP, AFP, Reuters)