Mexican Gang Bomb Attacks Rise as Cartel Violence Escalates

Mexican gang bomb attacks are becoming more common in parts of Mexico, with criminal groups using car bombs, explosives, landmines and drones. Local officials say the attacks have increased sharply in recent years and show how criminal organizations are changing their methods.

The most recent attack occurred on Sunday in Zacatecas state. A suspected car bomb exploded outside a police station in Ojocaliente, wounding at least 11 people, including two cops.

According to Zacatecas Governor David Monreal, the blast caused damage to approximately 40 buildings. Images uploaded on social media showed enormous flames and people, including children, attempting to flee the area. The clip couldn’t be independently authenticated.

Mexican Gang Bomb Attacks Increase in Zacatecas

According to officials, the number of bomb attacks in Zacatecas has increased significantly. Arturo Medina, the state’s security chief, stated that there will be only one such incident in 2024.

By 2025, the number had risen to six. According to Medina, officials have logged 10 explosive-related occurrences this year. He did not provide a figure for the total number of people killed or injured in the attacks.

The governor stated that the latest blast could be linked to the arrest of a member of a criminal organization on Saturday. According to Monreal, preliminary intelligence suggests that the organization may have carried out the attack in retribution.

Before the explosion on Sunday, the truck was left outside the Ojocaliente police offices.

Criminal Groups Change Their Tactics

The governor of Zacatecas said Sunday’s blast was part of a larger pattern of attacks. Nearly a dozen such instances have happened, some involving small drones carrying explosives and others involving land mines.

Officials said the use of various types of explosives demonstrates that criminal groups are altering their operations. Monreal also warned that Mexico’s organized criminal violence should not be overlooked.

“Organized crime is evolving,” Monreal stated, adding that he believed many people were unaware of the issue around the country.

Zacatecas is not the only state that have had explosives-related incidents. Other locations plagued by major criminal violence, such Michoacán, have recorded situations in which criminal gangs targeted security facilities, local communities, and law enforcement.

Some of these attacks resulted in the deaths of military personnel. Mexico’s central government has not made a public statement on the broader pattern of explosive attacks.

The recent attack has raised concerns about criminal groups’ rising use of explosives, as well as the increased risks faced by police, military personnel, and communities in areas afflicted by cartel warfare.