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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | May 2007 
Gunmen in Mexico Kill Naval Bodyguard
 Natalia Parra - Associated Press
| | Five soldiers, including a colonel, and a suspected drug cartel enforcer were killed last week in a shootout in central-west Michoacan state. |
Gunmen opened fire on a naval commander in the Pacific resort city of Ixtapa and killed his bodyguard amid increasing attacks on the Mexican military by suspected drug traffickers.
The navy secretary said in a release Thursday that several sailors were traveling in a vehicle with their commander when four gunmen in two vehicles cut them off and riddled the car with bullets at around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the hotel zone of city, about 155 miles north of Acapulco.
The commander's bodyguard, Francisco Javier Sanchez, was killed and two others were wounded in the attack, which took place near the commander's residence, the release said.
The assailants fled, and no arrests were made.
Drug gangs have increasingly attacked the military in recent weeks during a nationwide crackdown on organized crime.
Five soldiers, including a colonel, and a suspected drug cartel enforcer were killed last week in a shootout in central-west Michoacan state. Days later, four purported drug smugglers and three soldiers were injured in another shootout in the same state.
On Wednesday, suspected drug traffickers attacked a military checkpoint in the Pacific resort of Huatulco. One attacker was killed.
Since taking office in December, President Felipe Calderon has sent more than 20,000 troops to areas plagued by drug violence, including Guerrero state, where Ixtapa is located. |
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