Life was put on hold in several towns in the mountains of Guerrero this week after residents went through what they described as “a morning of terror.”
Early Wednesday morning a group of armed civilians believed to be from the town of Tlacotepec entered the towns of Los Morros, Campo de Aviación and Filo de Caballos and violently clashed with the local rural police forces.
One police officer was killed in the skirmishes, in which six vehicles were set on fire. No arrests were reported.
Teachers, students, physicians, nurses and public transportation drivers all reached a tacit agreement to not leave their homes that morning and suspend their usual activities, fearing another shootout.
“What we want is for [authorities] to go to Tlacotepec and disarm an armed group that poses as a community [police force]. Evil is there, people here are afraid,” the townspeople told the newspaper Milenio.
They also denounced the kidnapping of at least seven people who were taken by the attackers on the road between the towns of Xochipala and Filo de Caballos, including a teacher for whom a 1-million-peso ransom has been demanded.
Guerrero Governor Héctor Astudillo Flores saidsecurity operations in the area had been reinforced in order to prevent more violence.
Source: Milenio (sp)
