Six Mexican Soldiers Killed by Cartel Bomb in Michoacán

At least six Mexican soldiers were killed and two injured when their armored vehicle detonated a homemade explosive device in Michoacán, near the Jalisco border, an area plagued by violent turf wars between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and local criminal groups. The attack involved an improvised landmine, reflecting the increasing use of such devices and explosive-laden drones by organized crime factions, some of whom have recruited former military experts to manufacture these weapons. This incident is among the deadliest involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in recent years, with prior similar attacks causing multiple soldier and civilian deaths. Mexican military and state authorities have launched investigations and special task forces to locate additional explosive devices in the region. The violence underscores the broader crisis of cartel-related violence in Mexico, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and missing persons since 2006, while U.S. President Donald Trump has designated key drug trafficking groups as terrorist organizations, raising speculation about possible U.S. military involvement. Efforts to dismantle cartel operations continue amid ongoing clashes and retaliatory attacks, highlighting the challenges of restoring security in the region.