Mexican soldiers, police kill 9 in shootout near US border

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican soldiers and police have killed 9 suspected gunmen near the U.S. border. The government of the northern border state of Coahuila said Thursday that state police officers came under fire while patrolling a dirt road near the border city of Nuevo Laredo. The state said that soldiers were called in for reinforcement and that they pursued and killed the attackers. Of the two vehicles found at the scene, one was a truck fitted with homemade steel-plate armor. Such trucks, known as “monsters,” are often used by drug gangs. The state government said ten weapons were found at the scene, including a .50-caliber sniper rifle.