(BREITBART) — REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — The ongoing hunt for the leader of the Gulf Cartel in this border city has led to more than nine days of continuous gun battles. The clashes resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals –including most of the gunmen. Anecdotal accounts by residents place the death toll much higher.
As Breitbart Texas reported, Mexican authorities have been targeting the leadership of the Gulf Cartel in this city. Officials focused their efforts on capturing or killing Gulf Cartel leader Julian “Comandante Toro” Loisa Salinas, also known as Juan Manuel Loisa Salinas.
Law enforcement’s efforts to apprehend Loisa met heavy resistance from Gulf Cartel troops who continue to fight against military forces. Breitbart Texas reported that the intensity of the clashes escalated to the point where Mexican military forces deployed helicopters with mini-guns and other artillery weapons to fight off the cartel forces. During the gun battles, cartel gunmen continue to use hundreds of makeshift road spikes in an attempt to slow down authorities.