Mexico City, 3 October 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Mexican soldiers on Wednesday opened fire on a group of migrants travelling with suspected smugglers in a truck, killing six and injuring 12, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The migrants were initially mistaken for gang members, the ministry said.

The incident took place in the southern state of Chiapas near Villa Comaltitlán during a night patrol.

According to the soldiers involved, they encountered a convoy of three vehicles while on patrol and fired after hearing gunshots.

The migrants were part of a group of 33 people from countries such as Egypt, Nepal, Cuba, India, and Pakistan.

According to the ministry, two soldiers involved were suspended and an investigation has been launched.

The shooting coincided with the swearing-in of Mexico's first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum.

Soldiers have long been deployed in Mexico for internal security and anti-cartel operations, but activists have raised concerns over human rights violations.

Many migrants, fleeing violence and poverty, use Mexico as a route to the US border.

Photo: MIA