Mexico City, April 2, (dpa/GNA) – Nine people were killed in the fighting, between security forces and suspected gang members in western Mexico.
In the town of Jiquilpan in the state of Michoacán, police officers killed four armed suspects in a car, according to local security authorities on Saturday. One officer later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
In the town of Sahuayo, four suspected gang members were killed when they lost control of their car, during a chase with the National Guard.
In Michoacán, different criminal groups are struggling to control drug trafficking and protection rackets, against producers of the important export commodities avocado and lime.
Mexico has been suffering from a wave of violence for years. Last year, an average of 94 homicides per day were registered in Mexico, with a population of about 126 million.
Almost 100,000 people are considered to have disappeared. The vast majority of crimes are never solved.
GNA