17 killed in attack on Mexican prison near U.S. border, leading to escape of gang leader and 24 other inmates
Mexican authorities on Monday raised the death toll from an attack on a state prison in Ciudad Juarez across the border from El Paso, Texas to 17, a brazen operation that appeared designed to free the leader of a local gang.
Twenty-five inmates escaped in the attack.
Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez said 10 of the dead were prison guards who were attacked by gunmen who arrived early Sunday in armored vehicles and fired on the entrance and inside dormitories.
Rodríguez identified the inmates who escaped as being with the Mexicles gang, which she associated with the Caborca Cartel. She said the Mexicles' leader was among the fugitives. The Mexicles have been one of Juarez's main gangs for decades and for many years were known to work with the Sinaloa Cartel.
The Caborca Cartel had been led by drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero who was recaptured in July. He was allegedly behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985.
Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said the soldiers and state police who retook control of the prison found 10 "VIP" cells outfitted with televisions and other comforts. One even had a safe filled with cash.
Authorities also found cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana inside the prison.
Sandoval said two other gunmen killed after attacking local police a short time before the attack on the prison were likely a diversion. They were not included in the 17 dead, which were made up of 10 guards and seven inmates.
Scenes of chaos ensued as relatives of some prisoners waited for New Year's visits outside the compound.
Inside, some rioting inmates set fire to various objects and clashed with prison guards, local media reported.
Violence is frequent in Mexican prisons, including in some where authorities only maintain nominal control. Clashes regularly erupt among inmate of rival gangs, which in places like Juarez serve as proxies for drug cartels.
Ciudad Juarez has been the scene of years of violent clashes between security forces and the rival Sinaloa and Juarez drug cartels, which have left thousands dead over the past decade.
The prison itself has seen multiple breakouts of fighting and riots, including a bloody March 2009 episode that left 20 dead.
In August 2022, a clash between rival gangs left three prisoners dead.
According to a February 2022 report by the State Human Rights Commission, more than 3,700 people are detained in the prison, above its maximum capacity of 3,135.
In February 2016, as part of his visit to Mexico, Pope Francis officiated mass in the state prison's courtyard with 700 prisoners and their families in attendance.
Mexican detention centers, particularly those run by the state, suffer from chronic overcrowding and violence, which has worsened in recent years due to conflict between criminal groups.
AFP contributed to this report.