The operation that resulted Thursday in Mexico in the arrest of Ovidio Guzman, one of the sons of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman imprisoned in the United States, left 10 soldiers dead and 19 among the suspected criminals, the government announced on Friday.
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“Ten soldiers (…) unfortunately lost their lives in the line of duty,” Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval told reporters, adding that there were also “19 dead” among suspected criminals.
Thirty-five other soldiers were wounded by bullets, while 21 people were arrested during this operation carried out in Culiacan, in the capital of the state of Sinaloa, during which intense fire exchanges occurred.
The previous toll reported one dead and 28 injured.
A senior army officer was among the victims, Mr. Sandoval said, adding that his patrol had been attacked following the arrest of Ovidio Guzman, alias “El Raton” (“the Mouse”).
“We have no information concerning civilians who may have lost their lives,” Mr. Sandoval added.
An airliner and two Mexican Air Force planes were hit by projectiles moments before takeoff, according to the same source.
The official aircraft “had to make an emergency landing, despite the fact that they had received a significant number of impacts,” said the Secretary of Defense. None of these incidents resulted in injuries.