Sons of 'El Chapo' Blamed for Deadly Ambush of Military Convoy in Culiacan Newsweek
go to original October 1, 2016

Burned vehicles are seen following the ambush attack (Noroeste Mazatlan/EPA)

Update: Mexican Drug Lord's Sons Deny Involvement in Military Ambush (Associated Press)

Sons of jailed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman were likely behind an armed attack on a military convoy on Friday that left five soldiers dead and 10 wounded, a senior security official said.

The attack took place in the early morning on the edge of the city of Culiacan in northern Sinaloa state, along Mexico's Pacific coast, the home base of the Sinaloa Cartel, whose former leader Guzman was recaptured in January.

The convoy was transporting a detainee, Julio Ortiz, when it was ambushed by armed men hurling grenades which caused two of the convoy's vehicles to burst into flames, said General Alfonso Duarte, the regional defense ministry commander in charge of Sinaloa.

Ortiz was arrested in El Chapo's hometown of Badiraguato in Sinaloa. Ortiz was allegedly involved in a conflict over control of drug crops pitting Aureliano Guzman, a brother of "El Chapo," against Alfredo Beltran, a leader of the rival Beltran Leyva cartel. Ortiz was taken alive by the attackers, but it was unclear whether he was an ally or enemy of the armed men.

"We aren't sure (about the identity of the attackers), but it's very probable that they work for the sons of El Chapo," Duarte told reporters in a joint news conference with Sinaloa Gov. Mario Lopez.

Read the rest at Newsweek

Related: Mexican President Vows to Bring to Justice Attackers on Army Convoy (Xinhua)

Related: 'El Chapo' Guzmán's Extradition Might Get Blocked by a Mexican Judge, But the Government May Have a Way Around It (Business Insider)

Related: Authorities Recover 12 Bodies in River Near Lake Chapala, Jalisco (Agence France-Presse)

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!