Six Migrants Who Died After Mexican Soldiers Opened Fire Were From Egypt, Peru, and El Salvador

MEXICO CITY – The six migrants who lost their lives after being shot at by Mexican soldiers while traveling in a pickup truck were identified as being from Egypt, El Salvador, and Peru, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday.

This tragic incident, which took place in Chiapas, a southern state in Mexico, highlights the ongoing tensions along the country’s southern border as Mexico faces increasing pressure from the United States to manage migration.

"It’s a regrettable event and it must be investigated and punished," Sheinbaum stated during her regular morning press briefing. She confirmed that the attorney general’s office is looking into the matter.

"A situation like this cannot be repeated," she emphasized.

According to the Mexican defense ministry, the military personnel fired upon the pickup truck after it attempted to flee from a patrol, which was carrying a total of 33 migrants. The incident also resulted in injuries to 10 other migrants.

This occurrence has brought renewed attention to the escalating security crisis in southern Mexico, particularly near the Guatemalan border, where violence has surged over the past year due to clashes between powerful drug cartels.

The defense ministry reported that soldiers claimed to have heard explosions before discharging their weapons, but Sheinbaum declined to elaborate on the soldiers’ statements, reiterating that the investigation is still in progress.