2019 Villa Unión shootout explained

Conflict:	2019 Villa Unión shootout
Partof:	Mexican Drug War
Date:	30 November 2019
Place:	Villa Unión, Coahuila, Mexico
Coordinates:	28.2203°N -100.7244°W
Result:	Victory of the mexican state CDN failed to enter the north of Coahuila
Status:	The Army and the National Guard install a temporary base in the town after the attacks
Combatant1:	Villa Unión Police Mexico SEDENA Mexican Army SEMAR National Guard Coahuila Civil Force
Combatant2:	Cartel del Noreste
Strength2:	~150 gunmen +25 vehicles^[1]
Casualties1:	4 killed, 6 wounded
Casualties2:	19 killed, 31 arrested (after pursuit)
Casualties3:	2 abducted and slain, 4 abducted and wounded

On 30 November 2019, a shootout broke out in Villa Unión, Coahuila, between a drug cartel, suspected to be the Cartel del Noreste, and police.^[2] Cartel forces attacked with a convoy of armed pickup trucks around noon. Villa Unión's town hall, the intended recipient of the attack, was targeted because it is the headquarters of the town's police force, leaving it badly damaged.^[3] Unverified videos showed smoke rising from the city.^[4] Vehicles were stolen and several civilians were kidnapped by the cartel during their retreat.^[5] In the following days, state forces pursued the cartels responsible for the attack, with 7 gang members killed on 1 December.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Crónica de una masacre: Así fue el enfrentamiento en Villa Unión. Azteca America. 2020-11-30.
2. News: 19 Dead In Mexican Cartel Shootout Near U.S. Border. Forbes. 1 December 2019. 2 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191202062445/https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2019/12/01/21-dead-in-mexican-cartel-shootout-near-us-border/#1eeac02344bb. 2 December 2019. live.
3. News: Mexico violence: Hunt for gunmen behind deadly shoot-out. BBC. 2 December 2019. 2 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191203222438/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-50628720. 3 December 2019. live.
4. News: At least 14 killed in bloody gunfight in northern Mexico. Al Jazeera. 1 December 2019. 2 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191202073650/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/14-killed-bloody-gunfight-northern-mexico-191201031437471.html. 2 December 2019. live.
5. News: Death toll put at 20 for Mexico cartel attack near US border. Washington Post. 1 December 2019. 2 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191202072908/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/death-toll-put-at-20-for-mexico-cartel-attack-near-us-border/2019/12/01/edd68fd2-149c-11ea-80d6-d0ca7007273f_story.html. 2 December 2019. dead.
6. News: 21 killed in apparent cartel siege on Mexican town near Texas border. CBS. 2 December 2019. 2 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191202122557/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/villa-union-coahuila-shootout-mexico-death-toll-dead-cartel-cdn-siege-near-texas-border-2019-12-02/. 2 December 2019. live.