Against the background of increasing violent clashes between armed criminal groups in the Sonoran Desert, in northern Mexico, bordering the USA, on August 8, 2024, twelve improvised bomblets, .50 caliber rifles and ammunition were seized in General Plutarco Elías Calles municipality, in the northwest of Sonora State. The weapons were attributed to Los Pelones – an armed group that operates under Los Chapitos, of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel.
On August 12, 2024, alleged members of the Scorpion Group (part of the Gulf Cartel,) were documented showcasing improvised bomblets intended for use in armed UAV attacks, reportedly in Matamoros, in Tamaulipas State, bordering the US.
On August 28, 2024, an explosion rocked a private residence in El Desierto ejido de Sonora, 11 kilometers from Sonoyta, and two kilometers from the US border. The explosion, described as an accident, reportedly occurred while an armed UAV was being handled in the house. It resulted in the death of one man, and the injury of the operator of the aforementioned Los Pelones group, who was subsequently arrested after seeking medical treatment for his reportedly severe injuries.
Armed UAV attacks, improvised bomblets and IEDs documented in recent months indicate the migration of the IED and weaponized UAV trend to this part of Mexico, adjacent to the US border.
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