Culiacán, Sinaloa, was gripped by chaos on August 29th as an armed group launched a violent attack on a Mexican military convoy in the Penasco ejido, located in the municipality of Limón de Los Ramos, north of Culiacán. The assailants seized a passenger bus and multiple vehicles, setting them ablaze to obstruct federal highway 15, preventing military reinforcements. In response, the army deployed a helicopter in the Jesús María area, known for the capture of Ovidio Guzmán López in January 2023. During the operation, tire-puncturing devices were used and roadblocks erected to hinder the escape of the armed group. Despite the heavy military presence, no injuries or arrests were reported as of this report. The Autonomous University of Sinaloa suspended classes due to the violence, causing complications for students returning home as public transportation shut down. Chaos erupted in areas near Ciudad Universitaria and northern Culiacán shopping centers as parents were notified of the class suspensions and the lack of available buses. The Director of State Traffic and Transportation requested bus operators to resume service, as many people leaving work had no means of getting home. Gerardo Mérida Sánchez, Sinaloa’s Public Security Secretary, detailed that a pursuit took place in the Penasco ejido after the attack on the military. During the pursuit, the criminals deployed tire-puncturing devices and stole a passenger bus and other vehicles, setting them on fire on the highway to block reinforcements. The fire-engulfed vehicles on federal highway 15 forced the fire department to intervene and extinguish the blazes to clear the road. Sinaloa’s Governor, Rubén Rocha Moya, addressed Culiacán residents via social media, urging calm. He assured them that the situation was under control and confined to areas outside the city. The governor also advised citizens to rely on official information and avoid spreading unverified information that could incite panic or confusion.
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