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Sunday, Jun 01, 2025
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Eight Mexican Soldiers Killed by Improvised Explosive Device in Michoacán
The incident highlights the increasing use of IEDs by organized crime factions in Mexico.
Eight Mexican soldiers have died after triggering an improvised explosive device (IED) in Michoacán, a development that underscores the rising deployment of such devices by organized crime groups.
The soldiers were on patrol in an armored vehicle in the municipality of Los Reyes, near the border with Jalisco, when the mine detonated on Wednesday.
Six soldiers died instantly, and two more succumbed to their injuries shortly thereafter.
In response to the incident, the Jalisco state attorney general has initiated an investigation, while a special military task force is conducting searches in the area for additional explosive devices.
Prior to the explosion, Mexican army reports indicated the discovery and destruction of 621 IEDs in Michoacán as part of ongoing military operations.
The Michoacán-Jalisco border region is a hotspot for violent conflict, primarily involving the Jalisco New Generation cartel and local factions resisting its expansion into their territories.
Reports suggest that various criminal organizations have enlisted ex-military personnel from Colombia, who possess expertise in explosives, thus leading to an increase in the use of improvised mines to assert territorial control.
This occurrence represents the highest military fatalities linked to IEDs since their usage escalated in the region.
Previous incidents include the deaths of four soldiers in December 2024 due to similar explosive devices in nearby municipalities and additional fatalities in January when an army convoy entered Jalisco.
Civilian casualties from these mines have also been reported, including a teacher whose vehicle detonated a mine in January and several lime farmers, including a 15-year-old, killed in February.
In addition to ground-based deployment, criminal factions have begun utilizing IEDs attached to drones, enabling aerial assaults on adversaries.
Data from the Mexican military indicates a substantial rise in IED seizures, escalating from negligible amounts in 2021 to over 1,000 annually since then.
While the use of IEDs is becoming increasingly widespread across Mexico, it is particularly concentrated in the Michoacán-Jalisco border area, which accounts for approximately 40% of all seizures.
The prevalence of these mines has incited terror within local communities, contributing to the forced displacement of populations in affected areas.
The soldiers were on patrol in an armored vehicle in the municipality of Los Reyes, near the border with Jalisco, when the mine detonated on Wednesday.
Six soldiers died instantly, and two more succumbed to their injuries shortly thereafter.
In response to the incident, the Jalisco state attorney general has initiated an investigation, while a special military task force is conducting searches in the area for additional explosive devices.
Prior to the explosion, Mexican army reports indicated the discovery and destruction of 621 IEDs in Michoacán as part of ongoing military operations.
The Michoacán-Jalisco border region is a hotspot for violent conflict, primarily involving the Jalisco New Generation cartel and local factions resisting its expansion into their territories.
Reports suggest that various criminal organizations have enlisted ex-military personnel from Colombia, who possess expertise in explosives, thus leading to an increase in the use of improvised mines to assert territorial control.
This occurrence represents the highest military fatalities linked to IEDs since their usage escalated in the region.
Previous incidents include the deaths of four soldiers in December 2024 due to similar explosive devices in nearby municipalities and additional fatalities in January when an army convoy entered Jalisco.
Civilian casualties from these mines have also been reported, including a teacher whose vehicle detonated a mine in January and several lime farmers, including a 15-year-old, killed in February.
In addition to ground-based deployment, criminal factions have begun utilizing IEDs attached to drones, enabling aerial assaults on adversaries.
Data from the Mexican military indicates a substantial rise in IED seizures, escalating from negligible amounts in 2021 to over 1,000 annually since then.
While the use of IEDs is becoming increasingly widespread across Mexico, it is particularly concentrated in the Michoacán-Jalisco border area, which accounts for approximately 40% of all seizures.
The prevalence of these mines has incited terror within local communities, contributing to the forced displacement of populations in affected areas.
