A group of cartel gunmen utilized land mines and weaponized drones in a series of ambush-style attacks that resulted in the deaths of at least four Mexican Army soldiers and injuries to several others. The assailants successfully evaded capture.
The incidents occurred on Thursday afternoon in the rural regions of Michoacán near the town of Tepalcatepec, an area recognized for its significant cartel presence. The gunmen involved hailed from both Cartel Jalisco New Generation and their adversaries within Carteles Unidos, a coalition comprising smaller factions such as self-defense groups, Los Viagras, La Familia, and others.
A convoy of Mexican soldiers was traversing a dirt road when cartel members detonated land mines and deployed drones equipped with explosives against them. Concurrently, gunmen concealed in the foliage opened fire on the soldiers.
Despite the troops’ efforts to repel the assault and summon reinforcements, the attackers managed to escape. Subsequent assaults involved additional land mines and drones targeting reinforcement units. Mexican authorities confirmed the deaths of four soldiers and the serious injury of nine others, with unofficial reports indicating additional fatalities.
The attack follows closely after Breitbart Texas released footage of a similar incident where cartel gunmen deployed land mines against another military convoy in a nearby area within the neighboring state of Jalisco. In that previous attack, two soldiers lost their lives, and several sustained severe injuries.
Cartel Jalisco New Generation and Carteles Unidos have notably led in the use of land mines and weaponized drones. Recently, the Tamaulipas government corroborated a Breitbart Texas report revealing the Gulf Cartel’s deployment of land mines in the northern regions of the state. However, public officials asserted that the land mines stemmed from inter-cartel conflicts and posed no threat to the community.
