New Massacre in Aguililla, Michoacán: 26 Cartel Members Killed

“MX” for Borderland Beat

A new massacre has been registered in the state of Michoacán, where residents of Aguililla municipality reported early in the morning on Wednesday that a large gunfight broke out between two drug cartels. The unofficial death toll is of 26 killed.

The shootouts were first reported early Wednesday morning, a few hours after the former mayor of Aguililla Adalberto Fructuoso Comparán was arrested in Guatemala. Residents said that shootouts took place in three different points of Aguililla.

Unofficial reports say that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) killed 26 members of Carteles Unidos (CU). At least 8 of them were decapited in one of the shootout locations, as seen by several pictures shared on social media. In addition, it was reported that local CU boss, nicknamed ‘El Bombilla’, was killed.

No casualties or injuries were reported on the CJNG’s side, but a Michoacan media outlet said it was presumed that they suffered losses as well.

Although a new offensive by the CJNG had been reported for several days in the Tierra Caliente region, specifically in Tepalcatepec and Aguililla, the attack on Wednesday was more brutal.

No municipal, state, or federal authority confirmed the shootout took place. Residents said that law enforcement did not intervene all of Wedesnday.

In previous weeks, the state governor, Silvano Aureoles Conejo, affirmed that the mineral wealth of the Aguililla municipality, as well as the abundance of water that exists in the mountains that surrounds it, was attractive for organized crime groups.

GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW

Sources: Noventa Grados; (2); (3); Letra Roja; Sol de Zamora; Sol Yucatan; Omnia; El Debate; UDIC (Twitter)