Eight Mexican soldiers have died after triggering an improvised explosive device (IED) in the state of Michoacán, underlining the rising use of mines by organised crime factions.
The soldiers were on patrol in an armoured vehicle in the municipality of Los Reyes, near the border with the state of Jalisco, when the mine detonated on Wednesday. Six soldiers were killed instantly, while two more later died from their wounds, according to El Universal.
Jalisco’s state attorney general has taken charge of the investigation, while a special military taskforce searches the area for more explosive devices.
Shortly before the explosion, the army had reported finding and destroying 621 IEDs in Michoacán during operations so far.
The border region between Michoacán and Jalisco is the site of a violent struggle between Mexico’s most powerful criminal group, the Jalisco New Generation cartel, and local groups that are resisting its incursion into their territory.
Various criminal groups have reportedly recruited ex-military personnel from Colombia who are experts in explosives, leading to a proliferation of improvised mines to control territory throughout the region.
This incident marks the highest military death toll from an IED since their use took off – but it is not the only one.
In December 2024, four soldiers were killed by mines in two incidents in nearby municipalities of Michoacán. And in January that year, four more were killed when an army convoy entered a town in Jalisco.
The mines have also claimed civilian lives in Michoacán, from a teacher whose vehicle set off a mine in January, to several lime farmers – including a 15-year-old in February.
Aside from using them as mines, criminal groups have also taken to attaching IEDs to drones and dropping them on opponents from above.
Overall, according to Mexican military data obtained by Insight Crime, IED seizures have soared from almost none in 2021 to well over 1,000 every year since.
Though their use has spread across Mexico, it remains concentrated in the border area between Michoacán and Jalisco, which accounts for roughly 40% of all seizures.
The mines have sown terror in the region, contributing to the forced displacement of some communities.
