Authorities in Mexico’s Sinaloa state reported a surge of violence following the recent arrest of Sinaloa cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada in the United States. Over the weekend, 14 people were killed in the state capital, Culiacan, amid violent clashes between rival criminal groups vying for control. The state attorney general’s office confirmed it has opened investigations into 10 separate homicides related to the killings on Saturday.
Sinaloa, a Pacific coast state, has been gripped by intensified conflict and instability since Zambada’s arrest in July, when he was apprehended by U.S. officials after being flown to Texas. Since then, frequent violence has severely disrupted daily life in Culiacan, leading to the closure of schools and businesses as residents contend with the ongoing danger.
In an effort to restore order, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deployed hundreds of military personnel armed with high-powered weapons and armoured vehicles to Sinaloa, though the clashes have continued. Authorities have also discovered disturbing evidence of violence, including coolers containing human remains marked with gang emblems, signalling continued tensions between feuding factions.
Earlier last week, a shootout on Culiacan’s outskirts resulted in the deaths of 19 suspected gang members and the capture of a local cartel leader. According to state reports, at least 172 people have been killed and over 200 have been reported missing in Sinaloa between September 9 and October 18, marking a stark escalation in violence despite intensified security measures.
Melissa Enoch
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