MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Mexican President Felipe Calderon condemned Monday the killing and decapitation of eight army soldiers in southern Mexico, and pledged to continued the government's offensive against organized crime.
The decapitated bodies of eight army soldiers were discovered in the southern state of Guerrero in what the defense ministry said was a response to military actions against organized crime in the state.
Local media reported that a ninth decapitated body, that of a former police chief abducted on Saturday, was also discovered during the weekend in the Guerrero state capital Chilpancingo.
Speaking Monday at an event to commemorate Independence hero Jose Maria Morelos, Calderon said the killings were a response to government actions against drug gangs, and aimed at scaring the government into desisting.
"We are determined to take this fight to its last consequences - to the violence of organized crime we will respond with firm action by the State," Calderon said.
The number of drug-related killings in Mexico has increased sharply in the past two years since Calderon declared open war on drug cartels, including employing the military in areas where the gangs have the most influence.
In a recent report on public security, the National Human Rights Commission said it registered more than 10,500 killings attributed to organized crime between January 2006 and Dec. 1, 2008, including 5,585 in the first 11 months of this year.
-By Anthony Harrup, Dow Jones Newswires; (5255) 5001 5727, anthony.harrup@dowjones.com
Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/access/al?rnd=eCdL%2BDi1IPgO6oG%2BUOtQBg%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.

Publié le 22 Décembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones