Redlogarythm for Borderland Beat
On March 10th 2023 several social media accounts -see the links here and here– posted a video which showed the aftermath of an ambush against a National Guard convoy.
The soldiers, who were travelling in several pick-ups, were shot at from a wooded area located at the right side of the road. Due to the way National Guard pick-up trucks are designed -with their trunks open and a bench used by infantrymen to take seat- the vehicles don´t offer any cover for their passengers. Criminal groups know this and are known for organizing highly planned coordinated surprise attacks against military and police convoys all across the country.
In the images we can see at least five different pick-up trucks halted in a rural road, some of them being used by the National Guards as cover. One of them has its doors open and presents several bullet impacts, including a flat tire. The floor is riddled with 5.56 mm cartridges and FX-O5 Xiuhcoatl emptied mags, clear signs of a recent intense gun battle.
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| Two wounded National Guards lie on the pavement |
Two of the passengers are lying on the pavement, their white camo uniforms soaking blood, while their comrades provide both cover and basic first aid. In the trunk of the bullet-riddled van there is a deceased soldier, a very young man.
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| A young National Guard lies death in the trunk of the first. On the road, four FX-05 Xiuhcoatl emptied mags |
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| The wooded area from which the shots were fired upon the National Guards. Observe the steel bench mounted in the open trunk of the pick-up |
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| Members of the National Guard take cover behind their vehicles in the aftermath of the battle |
Although there´s still no evidence linked this new event to “Los Chapitos” faction it must be stressed that on the night of May 9th, a few hours before the attack, a SEDENA or SEMAR helicopter flew at low altitude over some areas of the city of Culiacán, specially through the neighborhoods of Valle Alto, Colonia Pemex, Barrancos and Palmito. It is possible that both events are connected.
Sources: Twitter, Twitter, Red Michoacán and Debate