Gunmen kill 12 people in Mexico bar
Two gunmen killed at least 12 people in a Mexican bar in one of the country’s most violent years for gun crimes.
The attack in Mexico City was one of the most daring in the history of the country’s so-called drug wars.
It comes after a series of bloody attacks on foreigners that have alarmed human rights advocates.
The first of those, in June last year, is thought to have been carried out by the Zetas – the former ruling party of Mexico’s army-backed drug cartels.
The group were banned from running military or political parties in May after President Felipe Calderon launched a crackdown on the cartels.
They are considered the most powerful gang and have had a history of deadly attacks on policemen.
The second recent attack was a revenge bombing on a church in the town of Tepic in December. The bombing took place as the church was hosting a funeral for a policeman killed by cartel gunmen.
A third attack was on a church in Cancun, about 50km from Mexico City, in January 2012 that killed two people.
The latest attack took place on Friday afternoon and was carried out by gunmen of unknown nationality in the bar of the Los Barrios restaurant, a popular hangout for foreigners who attend a range of events, including political rallies.
The gunmen entered the bar moments after the place was open and proceeded to fire shots at random at several customers. One of the gunmen was shot in the throat. Police say two women were sexually assaulted as they fled the bar.
At least 11 people were killed and four others wounded in the attack, which has shocked the country with its savagery.
But the exact number of casualties is unknown. Some accounts put the figure at 10 people killed and four injured but an official Mexican government source says it was 12 deaths.
The attack was carried out by two gunmen and two women.
A policeman who was on a nearby roof described the moment the gunmen burst in.
“The door burst open immediately before me, and before I could raise myself on a ladder, I saw the bodies of men… it was horrible,” Jesus Ramon Pineda told Sky News.
“I thought the roof was collapsing on us. I saw only the bodies, their eyes were wide open. I saw two women in their 20s, the other two women also killed right in front of me