The battle for a key town in western Mexico has become both more medieval, and more high-tech, after two police officers were injured by drones apparently carrying explosive devices. Two cartels are battling for control of El Aguaje, a hamlet in the Aguililla township in Michoacán state: Jalisco New Generation and the rival New Michoacán Family, or the Viagras.
The Jalisco cartel has recently staged attacks in the area. And in October 2019, Jalisco gunmen ambushed and killed 14 state police officers in El Aguaje.
State police were sent in to restore order earlier this month, and the cartels responded by parking hijacked trucks across roads and even adopted ancient techniques like digging deep trenches across roadways to keep police convoys out.
On Tuesday, authorities announced they had used backhoes to fill in many of the trenches.
Now, the Jalisco cartel is accused of targeting police with more modern attacks: explosive-laden drones.