Photo credit: the Standard
The Mexican military has disclosed that six migrants have been killed by soldiers who opened fire on a truck carrying dozens of migrants.
Aljazeera reports that the Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday that the incident took place on October 1 near the town of Huixta in the southern state of Chiapas.
After the dastardly act, “military personnel identified thirty-three migrants of Egyptian, Nepalese, Cuban, Indian, Pakistani and Arab nationalities, of whom 4 had died, 12 injured and 17 unharmed,” according to the press release.
It added that two more people died after being transported to a local hospital.
The shooting took place about 41km from the city of Tapachula and the border with Guatemala. Many migrants and asylum-seekers begin their dangerous journey north through Mexico from the city.
Immigrant rights groups claim that violence and abuse at the hands of Mexican law enforcement and criminal groups are common.
However, the defence Ministry says the two soldiers who opened fire on the migrants have been removed from their posts. The case has also been referred to federal prosecutors and the military’s tribunal.
According to the press release, the truck dodged the military personnel, but it was followed by two vehicles similar to those used by criminal groups in the area. The two soldiers opened fire after “hearing detonations”, the Defence Ministry claimed.
