Mexican villagers slain in cartel conflict

By LG Staff

By LG Staff

May 17, 2024

At least 11 individuals have been killed amid confrontations between rival cartels in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

Local media reports indicate that two nuns and a teenager are among the deceased.

The region is contested by the Sinaloa cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Residents reported that the victims were locals who were “massacred” by cartel operatives.

On Monday night, locals heard heavy gunfire.

Police and soldiers confirmed on Tuesday that they had discovered 11 bodies in the village of Nuevo Morelia and its vicinity.

The diocese of San Cristóbal, which includes Nuevo Morelia, confirmed that two women “who served the Catholic Church” were among those killed.

A 15-year-old boy was also identified as one of the victims.

It remains unclear whether the two women were lay members of the Church or nuns, as reported by some local media.

Residents said that clashes between the rival cartels had been ongoing since Friday.

The Sinaloa cartel and the CJNG have been battling for control of the area for several years.

These criminal groups extort migrants passing through the southern state en route to Mexico’s northern border with the United States.

Communities in the area have been severely affected by the violence, often forced to remain indoors for days due to continuous gunfire outside.

In January, hundreds fled their homes in Chicomuselo, the area where Nuevo Morelia is located, to escape the violence.

Conflicts between the two cartels reignited at the end of last week when members of the criminal organizations set abandoned homes on fire in Nuevo Morelia and neighboring villages.

A resident informed the Spanish international news agency Efe that some villages lost power after gang members damaged the electricity poles.

Police and forensic teams have been dispatched to the area, but locals claim they remain largely unprotected.

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