By Lizbeth Diaz
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Gunmen sprayed with bullets the office building and several cars of respected Sinaloan media outlet El Debate on Friday, the news organization said, amid a bloody war between the two biggest factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.
El Debate, which usually reports on violent events across the northwestern Sinaloa state, was attacked early on Friday morning, the company reported on social media.
The local prosecutor’s office said it was investigating the attack, which caused no casualties.
“Today the complaint for damages is going to be received,” Claudia Sanchez, the state prosecutor, told media.
Sanchez said that at least four vehicles were damaged by bullets during the incident, while videos published by El Debate show pockmarks on the facade of its building caused by gunshots.
It is unclear who carried out the attack. Sinaloa has seen a surge of violence since Sept. 9. When the two most powerful groupings in the Sinaloa Cartel came to blows.
The daily shootouts have disrupted life in the state capital, Culiacán, where schools have closed on some days and restaurants and stores have shortened their opening hours.
Sánchez said that since the war began, there have been 172 homicides and 209 people have been kidnapped, of which 72 were found alive and 27 dead.
President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday said she “condemns” the attack against El Debate.
Her government has sent hundreds of military personnel with armored vehicles and high-powered weapons to Sinaloa to protect the population but the troops have struggled to quell the violence.
(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Drazen Jorgic and Sandra Maler)
