30 civilians killed in wave of violence in north Mexico’s Sinaloa state

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) — At least 30 civilians have been killed since a wave of violence hit northwest Mexico’s Sinaloa state on Sept. 9, Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval said Tuesday.
During President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s usual daily press conference, Sandoval said the federal government was reinforcing security in the area to clamp down on the violence, which has also claimed the lives of two soldiers.
Authorities have arrested at least 30 suspects belonging to criminal organizations and seized 115 firearms, he said.
The recent spate of violence erupted following clashes between rival drug-trafficking groups, including one headed by Ismael “Mayo” Zambada and another led by “Los Chapitos,” sons of jailed Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Zambada, a longtime associate of “El Chapo,” was arrested on July 25 in the United States, sparking clashes between the two main factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, according to authorities.
Mexico’s president said that his administration, which concludes this month, was working to quell the fighting and protect area residents.
“We are attentive to what is happening in Sinaloa,” the president told reporters at the National Palace in Mexico City. ■