10 Criminals Die In Clash With Mexican Security Forces
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/wn/newsworld.php?id=1224831MEXICO CITY, March 14 (BERNAMA-NNN- EFE)-- An clash between an armed group and Mexican security forces resulted in the deaths of 10 of the criminals in the city of Reynosa, in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, the state government reported.
The operation "left as its preliminary toll ... 10 criminals and (road) blockades in different sectors with burned vehicles," said the state government in a bulletin.
The operation was conducted by the Navy Secretariat, the National Defense Secretariat, the Federal Police and Fuerza Tamaulipas "against a group of criminals operating in Reynosa," a city on the border with the United States.
Security forces launched their operation at 4:30 a.m. and it quickly led to a confrontation between the criminal group and navy personnel at Km 93 on the Reynosa Highway.
At that spot, federal forces killed four criminals who were traveling in a pickup truck, the report said.
"This incident caused other members of the group to flee in cargo trucks and public transport vehicles, as well as pickup trucks and automobiles ... to set up blockades in different sectors of the city," the statement said.
There were also shootouts between the security forces and the criminals that resulted in the deaths of six armed civilians in other parts of the city.
One Defense Secretariat vehicle was reported to have tipped over, causing minor injuries to four army troops.
The road blockades were removed by federal and state forces by about 8:30 a.m.
Tamaulipas for years has been the scene of violent clashes among organized criminals groups, mainly the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels, and between criminals and the security forces.
-- BERNAMA-NNN-EFE
