US upgrades Mexico travel alert as violent attacks increase

Eleven people died in a number of attacks in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, it was reported on Tuesday, as the U.S. Department of State warned Americans that they should be particularly vigilant when traveling to Mexico.

Worst hit by the escalating violence are the border areas where drug cartels are at war over the control of key routes into the U.S. Violence has increased throughout Mexico this year, leading to the deaths of 3,500, including civilians.

“Increased levels of violence make it imperative that travelers understand the risks of travel to Mexico,” according to a new State Department travel alert on Mexico.

In a 24-hour period, 11 were killed in attacks in Chihuahua State, including a former commander in the police force, said a spokesman for the attorney general’s office of the state on Tuesday.

The state of Chihuahua has become a flashpoint in a turf war between drug cartels, and over 1,000 people have been killed in Ciudad Juarez, a border city in the state, this year alone.

“The situation in Ciudad Juarez is of special concern,” commented the State Department about the city on the Mexico-U.S. border, located across from El Paso, Texas.

“A recent series of muggings near the US Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez has targeted applicants for US visas,” it continued, noting that increasing numbers of civilians were fleeing the area due to the violence.

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