Mexican army kills eight in shootout
By IANSFriday, February 18, 2011
Monterrey (Mexico), Feb 19 (IANS/EFE) At least eight gunmen were killed in a battle with Mexican army in the northern state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico’s defence department said.
The shootout began around 1:00 a.m. Friday in Cadereyta near state capital Monterrey, when “suspicious individuals” travelling in several vehicles fled as soldiers tried to stop and question them.
The troops chased the suspects to the town of Guadalupe, where the occupants of the vehicles opened fire. The troops retaliated, killing five of the gunmen.
The soldiers seized three vehicles, eight rifles, a grenade-launcher and ammunition, the defence department said. But a least a dozen suspects managed to escape in other vehicles.
The troops caught up with one of the vehicles in the neighbouring Juarez town, sparking a second clash that left three more gunmen dead.
Nuevo Leon, Mexico’s wealthiest city and industrial hub, has been wracked for a year by violent clashes among drug cartels.
–IANS/EFE
