Dozens of minors have lost their lives in the ongoing violent conflict between two factions of the Sinaloa drug cartel in northwestern Mexico, according to a local ombudsman’s report on Friday.
Death Toll Among Minors
Nearly 100 minors have gone missing since the violence escalated following the capture of cartel co-founder Oscar Loza in July 2024, said Oscar Loza, president of the Sinaloa State Human Rights Commission.
Loza reported that 39 minors had been killed in the fighting, with figures provided by the public prosecutor’s office. Among the victims, two young girls—aged seven and twelve—were killed on Monday after being caught in the crossfire between gunmen and security forces.
In addition to the fatalities, a 12-year-old boy was injured in the same incident, along with his parents and two other relatives, authorities confirmed.
The Emotional Toll of the Violence
Loza expressed the emotional impact of the violence, saying, “When will the people recover from such a deep and painful wound? Never. It will always be there, not because of numbers, but because of the smiles that were extinguished.”
The shooting incident occurred in Badiraguato, the birthplace of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the notorious drug lord, and other high-ranking members of the cartel. Badiraguato is a region heavily affected by cartel violence.
Cartel Infighting and Its Consequences
The violent infighting between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel is believed to involve gang members loyal to El Chapo and his sons, who are in conflict with those aligned with Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, another powerful cartel leader.
Zambada reportedly claimed last year that he was kidnapped by Joaquín Guzmán López, one of El Chapo’s sons, and forcibly flown to the United States in a private plane.
The ongoing cartel conflict has resulted in over 1,200 deaths and 1,400 missing persons, deeply affecting the local communities and businesses in the state capital, Culiacán, and other parts of Sinaloa.
The Widespread Impact of Drug-Related Violence
This latest wave of violence adds to the already staggering toll of criminal violence in Mexico. Since 2006, nearly 480,000 people have been murdered in the country, much of it related to drug trafficking and the activities of violent gangs.