The state ministry of the state of Chihuahua reported this Sunday (1.) that an armed attack by suspected criminals on a prison in Ciudad Juárez in northern Mexico killed 14, including ten guards, and 24 escaped inmates.
“The deaths of 14 people were recorded, including 10 security and prison guards and four people who were deprived of their liberty. There are also 13 wounded and at least 24 refugees,” the Chihuahua lawmaker said in a statement.
The invasion took place at dawn when gunmen aboard armored vehicles arrived at the prison and opened fire on the guards while family members waited to enter the enclosure for New Year’s visits.
According to initial investigations, the attack served to facilitate the escape of a group of prisoners.
After the incident, state police with the help of the military made four arrests, the MP added, without specifying whether they were escaped detainees or people involved in the attack.
According to the local press, some inmates in the prison rebelled, setting fire to various objects and clashed with prison guards.
According to these versions, the shooting outside the prison caused panic among local residents, while City Hall asked residents not to go near the area where the penitentiary is located.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, the security forces were able to bring the situation in the prison under control about five hours after the attack began.
The prison in Ciudad Juárez, a key city for drug trafficking into the United States, is holding members of the armed branches of the Sinaloa and Juárez cartels, which have contested control of drug trafficking in the region for more than 15 years.
This prison has been the scene of several clashes between rival groups and riots, including one that left 20 dead in March 2009 one of the most violent.
According to a February 2022 report by the State Human Rights Commission, more than 3,700 people are being held in the Ciudad Juárez prison, which has capacity for 3,135 inmates.