Mexican soldiers kill 8 suspected cartel gunmen

By GUSTAVO RUIZ
Associated Press
2011-08-17 03:57 AM

A Mexican government official says eight suspected drug cartel gunmen have been killed in a shootout with army troops in the western state of Michoacan.

A Defense Department source who was not authorized to be quoted by name says an army patrol overtook a convoy suspected of transporting a drug cartel leader in a rural area south of the state capital of Morelia.

One of the vehicles split off early Tuesday to confront the soldiers, apparently to allow two other vehicles to escape.

While the Knights Templar cartel is active in the area, it is not clear which cartel the convoy belonged to.

Seven suspected cartel gunmen died inside a bullet-ridden pickup truck, and an eighth died in a nearby ravine.

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