In a deadly shootout near the Texas border, Mexican soldiers killed 12 gunmen on February 18.
The incident occurred in the township of Miguel Aleman, situated across from Roma, Texas, as confirmed by the security department of Tamaulipas, a northern border state.
The confrontation unfolded late Sunday when the soldiers came under attack, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire. The security department disclosed that 12 suspects were “neutralized” during the shootout, with a dozen rifles seized from the scene. No additional details about the assault on the soldiers were provided, and the Mexican army said that it currently lacks specific information about the incident. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The town of Miguel Aleman has long been a hotbed of turf battles and violence involving notorious cartels, particularly the old Zetas cartel, now recognized as the Cartel of the Northeast, and the Gulf Cartel.
This deadly clash once again highlights the persistent security challenges faced along the Texas-Mexico border.
Mexican authorities have been actively combating the influence of drug cartels and criminal syndicates operating along the border, often leading to violent confrontations such as this one. Efforts to enhance security measures, however, have not eliminated the region’s susceptibility to periodic outbreaks of violence and instability.
In September 2023 a convoy entering Mexico from the U.S. was attacked on the bridge connecting Miguel Aleman and Roma, Texas, resulting in three people being wounded by gunshots. The victims, including Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, were part of a group of at least 20 heading to central Mexico. They were attacked by gunmen using an artisanal armored truck, a vehicle type often associated with cartels. The attackers subsequently fled. This incident was part of a recent surge in violence in Tamaulipas, leading to the deployment of hundreds of soldiers to the area to counteract the activities of the Gulf Cartel and other criminal groups.
The shootout near the Texas border underscores the critical need for continued cooperation and coordination between Mexican and US authorities to address transnational criminal threats effectively.