Mexican soldiers killed 19 suspected members of the Sinaloa cartel and arrested a local cartel leader following an intense firefight in Culiacán, Sinaloa State on October 21, 2024. The confrontation occurred when military personnel were attacked by more than 30 gunmen about seven miles outside the state capital.

The Mexican Defense Department claimed the soldiers acted in self-defense and in “strict adherence to the rule of law and with full respect for human rights.” Seven vehicles and nearly 30 firearms, including machine guns, ammunition, and military-style vests and helmets were seized.

Arrested during the firefight was  Edwin Antonio Rubio López, identified as a top lieutenant of the “Mayitos” faction, loyal to imprisoned drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García. 

The federal government has deployed approximately 3,300 soldiers and National Guard members to Sinaloa to combat the escalating violence. Despite this presence, attacks on local newspapers and ongoing shootings have continued throughout the region.

The current fighting erupted after Zambada claimed he was kidnapped and forced aboard an airplane by Joaquín Guzmán López, a leader of the rival “Chapitos” faction. This group, known for using brutal methods, including torture, consists of the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman, who co-founded the cartel with Zambada.

The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the largest and most prolific fentanyl trafficking organizations, responsible for a significant portion of the illicit fentanyl entering the United States, according to U.S. officials.

Since early September, approximately 200 people have been killed and more than 300 others are believed missing in Sinaloa due to the escalating cartel violence. The broader context of drug-related violence in Mexico has resulted in more than 450,000 murders since 2006.

The shootout represents a significant test for Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who previously pledged to avoid armed confrontations with criminal groups. Ex-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has claimed that U.S. authorities made secret deals with one of the criminal groups, triggering the bloodshed, though U.S. officials have rejected these allegations.

U.S. intelligence analysts suggest the conflict could persist for years as both the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels maintain operations in all 50 U.S. states, controlling global drug trafficking networks.