Thursday 24 January 2013

Army shoots gunmen, dozens killed around Mexico

Mexican troops shot dead five gunmen or gang suspects near Ciudad Victoria in the north-eastern state of Tamaulipas on 22 or 23 January, Proceso reported on 23 January; these were among at least 28 fatalities related to crime and related incidents reported for 21-23 January. The shootout occurred in the district of Lleras or Llera de Canales south of Victoria where the suspects were said to have set fire to several houses. Early on 23 January five bodies were found "in 10 plastic bags" in the district of Toluca, capital of the central Estado de México, Proceso reported. Messages were left beside them for the state governor Eruviel Ávila and the police. Police also found the bodies of two women shot dead in the northern district of Coahuila on 23 January, with an unharmed baby next to them, and those of two women and a man in a flat in Sinaloa in the state of Sinaloa, Proceso reported on 23 January. The review reported six killings including of two policemen on 22 January. The two were a female member of the roads police shot dead in the northern district of Chihuahua, and a police detective shot dead in the southern state of Oaxaca, Proceso reported. Three men were also reported shot dead in the northern district of Torreón late on 21 January. Marines were meanwhile sent to the district of La Laguna in the northern state of Durango, to help police curb crime in several districts of that state and the neighbouring state of Coahuila where Torreón is located. Also, 91 of 158 policemen detained earlier and questioned in the state of Durango over suspected links to crime were released 72 hours later for lack of evidence against them, while 64 or 65 were to be questioned further, the chief prosecutor of Durango declared on 22 January. Milenio reported that the 91 later resigned their positions and were negotiating their severance pays with their respective municipalities. Four unspecified "public servants" were formally ordered arrested, the prosecutor's office stated, though it was not clear if these were among the 158, while a court prolonged the provisional detention of 64 or 65, Proceso reported.

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