Gunmen kill 13 in Mexican border city

Ciudad Juarez: Thirteen people died in seven attacks over 24 hours in the embattled Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, authorities said on Wednesday.

Gunmen killed six men in four separate attacks on Tuesday in the city across the border from El Paso, Texas. Two of the victims were shot dead inside a car, investigators yesterday said in a statement.

Another victim, Vicente Leon, 22, died at a taco stand before dawn. Leon killed his parents and 13-year-old sister with the help of two high school friends in a highly publicised case five years ago.

Hours later, assailants killed five young men, ages 16 to 20, outside a home, Chihuahua state police spokesman Arturo Sandoval said.

Two more men were fatally shot in separate attacks Tuesday night, police said.

All of the killings resembled organised crime hits, but police gave no more information about motives or suspects. No arrests have been made.

With more than 800 people killed this year, Ciudad Juarez has the country's highest level of drug-related violence. The government says most of the killings are the result of rival smugglers battling for turf and lucrative routes into the United States.

Bureau Report