July 13, 2023

Cartel Bombs Kill 6 in Mexico – Lahore Security Guards   MEXICO CITY — A drug cartel set off seven bombs in western Mexico, killing four officers, and two civilians. The governor of Jalisco state said the explosions were “a trap” set by the cartel to kill law enforcement personnel. Luis Méndez, the chief prosecutor of Jalisco state, said the blasts in Tlajomulco left craters, destroyed four vehicles, and wounded 14 people. It appeared to be the first time that a Mexican cartel killed law enforcement personnel with improvised explosive devices or IEDs and was the latest example of the increasingly open, military-style challenge posed by the country’s drug cartels. Méndez said the two dead civilians were in a vehicle that happened to be passing the spot when the IEDs detonated in Tlajomulco, near the state capital of Guadalajara. The possibility of remote detonation was suggested, indicating that the blast occurred precisely as intended. Among the 18 wounded, 12 were civilians, including three children aged 9, 13, and 14, with some in critical condition. Experts had to defuse an eighth IED that did not detonate, and warned the area was still dangerous, Méndez said. Enrique Alfaro, the governor of Jalisco state, said an anonymous caller who gave a volunteer search group a tip about a clandestine burial site near the roadway set “a trap” for the officers. Mexico’s Missing Persons Crisis   For years, police have been unable to locate the more than 110,000 missing people in Mexico, but they accompany volunteer search groups that look for such hidden graves. The volunteers, usually the mothers of missing people, often get anonymous tips about where their relatives may be buried. Jalisco Gov. Enrique Alfaro said a total of eight “improvised explosive devices” were planted on the roadway. Alfaro calls the attack a brutal terror act, blaming an unnamed drug cartel for the deaths. He said he was temporarily suspending police escorts for volunteer searches for the safety of the civilians. No search volunteers were in the blown-up convoy, said Hector Flores, a leader of a search group in Jalisco. Cartel’s unprecedented act exposes their capabilities – Alfaro. “This attack also represents an open challenge to the Mexican government on all levels.” Alfaro didn’t name suspects, but the Jalisco cartel is skilled in using IEDs and bomb-dropping drones. IEDs also wounded 10 soldiers in the neighboring state of Michoacan in 2022 and killed a civilian. Cartel Attacks and IEDs in Mexico   A car bomb killed a National Guard officer in Guanajuato, as another cartel carried out the attack. Protesters in Guerrero, allied with a drug gang, battled security forces on Monday. They seized a police armored truck and smashed the state legislature building gates. Guadalajara experiences bloody cartel battles; Jalisco cartel blamed for previous IED use in Mexico. In February 2022, in the Michoacan township of Aguililla, a roadside mine damaged an army vehicle and injured 10 soldiers. A few days later, another IED killed a farmer when he drove over the device in his pickup truck. The farmer’s son was wounded in the blast, which was fueled by a device containing ammonium nitrate. Special squads of Mexican army troops equipped with metal detectors and bomb suits were later deployed to the area. Dozens of such devices were found along rural roads and fields in the area around the township of Aguililla. IEDs: Radio/telephone detonation, pressure-triggered (stepping on them), and vial-activated (chemical combination). Cartel Conflict and Searcher Struggles   Years of conflict: Jalisco cartel vs. Viagras gang (United Cartels) battling for control in the area. However, those battles have featured the use of trenches, pillboxes, homemade armored cars, and drones modified to drop small bombs. However, the cartels’ bomb-carrying drones have caused more terror in Michoacan. While initially crude and dangerous to load and operate — and still worrisomely indiscriminate — drone warfare has improved; it’s not unusual to see a metal barn or shed roofs opened like tin cans from the impact of drone explosions. Tuesday’s IED attack on Tlajomulco hurt search groups as they rely on anonymous tips to locate mass graves. Searchers suspect cartel informants provide tips on victims’ burial sites, adding to their anguish. Searchers work with cartels under an uneasy truce, seeking closure, not prosecution for family kidnappings. Moreover, they say they only want to find the remains, to end their uncertainty, and give their relatives a decent burial. However, six volunteer search activists have been killed in Mexico since 2021. Motives in killings unclear. Cartels intimidate searchers investigating active grave sites. Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/roadway-bomb-planted-drug-cartel-kills-3-police-101164435

Drone Strike: ISIS Leader Killed A U.S. drone strike killed an Islamic State group leader in Syria hours after the same MQ-9 Reaper drones were harassed by Russian military jets over the western part of the country, according to the Defense Department. A U.S. defense official said that three Reapers had been flying overhead searching for the militant on Friday. During this time, Russian aircraft harassed them for about two hours. Shortly after that, the drones killed Usamah al-Muhajir, who was riding a motorcycle in the Aleppo region, said the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity to describe details of the military operation. The official said al-Muhajir was in northwest Syria at the time of the strike, but that he usually operated in the east. It was not immediately clear how the U.S. military confirmed that the person killed was al-Muhajir; no other details were provided. In a statement Sunday, U.S. Central Command said the strike did not indicate any civilian casualties. The military was assessing reports of a potential civilian injury. WATCH: How negligence, systemic issues lead to civilian casualties from U.S. airstrikes Unsafe Russian Fighter Jets Friday was the third day in a row that U.S. officials complained that Russian fighter jets in the region had conducted unsafe and harassing flights around American drones. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, head of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, said in a statement that during the Friday encounter, the Russian planes “flew 18 unprofessional close passes that caused the MQ-9s to react to avoid unsafe situations.” The first friction occurred Wednesday morning when Russian military aircraft “engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior” as three American MQ-9 drones were conducting a mission against IS, the U.S. military said. On Thursday, the U.S. military said Russian fighter aircraft flew “incredibly unsafe and unprofessionally” against both French and U.S. aircraft over Syria. Unarmed Drones Carrying Weapons Col. Michael Andrews, Air Forces Central Command spokesman, reported an hour-long incident with close fly-bys and flares deployed. U.S. officials said the earlier flights had unarmed drones, but on Friday, they carried weapons while hunting al-Muhajir. “We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region,” said Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, in the statement. Additionally, Russian and Syrian militaries conduct six-day joint training. Gurinov added in comments carried by Syrian state media that Moscow was concerned about the flights of drones by the U.S.-led coalition over northern Syria, calling them “systematic violations of protocols” designed to avoid clashes between the two militaries.   Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-drone-strike-kills-isis-group-leader-in-northwest-syria-defense-official-says

Taiwan-China Tensions: Military Maneuvers and Exercises   TAIPEI, Taiwan — China sent navy ships and a large group of warplanes, including fighter jets and bombers, toward Taiwan, over two days, the island’s defense ministry said on Wednesday before its annual military exercises aimed at defending itself against a possible invasion. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army sent 38 warplanes and 9 navy vessels around Taiwan, between 6 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. From Wednesday morning until noon time, the military flew another 30 planes, among which included J-10 and J-16 fighters. The PLA’s calculated show of strength was not confined to this initial phase alone. As the clock transitioned from Wednesday morning to the approaching noon, an additional 30 planes took to the skies as part of this exercise. Among these, 32 vessels crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial boundary that authorities had considered as a buffer between the island and mainland. Later on Wednesday, another 23 planes crossed the midline. Taiwan is scheduled to hold the annual Han Guang exercise later this month, in which its military will hold combat readiness drills against preventing an invasion. It will also conduct the annual Wan’an exercises aimed at preparing civilians for natural disasters and practicing evacuations in case of an air raid. China’s Actions and Responses   China claims Taiwan as its territory and increases military planes’ presence in response to political activities in Taiwan. In the past year, it has also started sending its navy vessels, as well as drones to circle the waters near the island. In Tuesday and Wednesday’s maneuvers, the PLA flew H-6 bombers in a large loop to the south of Taiwan, traveling past the island before looping back towards China‘s southern coast. The recent maneuvers on Tuesday and Wednesday further underline China’s strategic approach. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) orchestrated flights of H-6 bombers, a significant part of its aerial arsenal, in a sweeping trajectory to the south of Taiwan. Its largest military drills in recent years were in response to former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last August. PLA’s missile launch escalated tensions, disrupted trade lanes, and forced flight reroutes over Taiwan. In April, while in demand, PLA conducted combat drills near Taiwan in response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with the US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. This maneuver was a direct response to the diplomatic developments that unfolded on the international stage. Specifically, President Tsai Ing-wen’s engagement with a significant figure from the United States, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, triggered this response. Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/china-sends-large-group-warplanes-navy-ships-towards-101131337