Explosion targets police in Mexico, kills 3 officers, injures 10

In the Mexican state of Jalisco, an attack involving explosives has claimed the lives of three police officers and left 10 individuals wounded on Tuesday, according to the state governor.

Governor Enrique Alfaro took to Twitter to condemn the “cowardly attack” on police officers and staff from the state prosecutor’s office.

He described the incident as “unprecedented” and emphasized its demonstration of the capabilities of organized crime groups.

He also stated that the attack posed a challenge to the entire Mexican state.

Jalisco, located in the western region of the country, serves as a stronghold for the Jalisco New Generation cartel—a highly influential drug trafficking organization in Mexico, engaged in conflicts with rival syndicates across a significant portion of the nation.

Alfaro announced that “Jalisco’s security cabinet had initiated a thorough investigation into the assault, which has not been attributed to a specific criminal organization thus far.”

Authorities became aware of the event shortly after 8:00 pm on Tuesday when reports emerged of a burning vehicle with five individuals inside in Tlajomulco de Zuniga, a suburb of Guadalajara. Forensic investigators and ambulances were dispatched to the scene to aid the injured.

Local network Televisa reported that the explosion occurred near a vehicle transporting the security officials.

Law enforcement officials are examining whether a hand grenade or a homemade explosive device was employed in the attack, taking into consideration that the Jalisco New Generation cartel has previously utilized such devices in the neighboring state of Michoacan.

Authorities also disclosed a recent drone strike on a residence in the town of Apatzingan, Michoacan, which resulted in one person being wounded.

Although car bombings are infrequent in Mexico, a car bomb attack in June in the state of Guanajuato claimed the life of a National Guard member and injured several others, highlighting the impact of cartel-related violence in the region.

Also, on Tuesday, 13 security personnel who had been held captive by protesters in the southern state of Guerrero were released following negotiations with authorities. It was revealed that a criminal group had infiltrated the protest.

Guerrero has long been plagued by violence stemming from territorial disputes between drug cartels.

Since the initiation of a contentious military anti-drug operation in 2006, Mexico has recorded over 340,000 murders and approximately 100,000 disappearances, with a majority attributed to criminal organizations.