4 Americans Kidnapped In Northern Mexico, Officials Say

MEXICO CITY, The FBI reports that four Americans have been kidnapped in the Mexican border city of Matamoros. As they drove through the city, the abductors opened fire on the Americans’ car.

On Friday, the foursome drove into Matamoros from Brownsville, Texas, in a white minivan bearing North Carolina plates.

An official statement released by the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office on Sunday said that the vehicle was fired upon shortly after crossing into Mexico.

“All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken away from the scene by armed men,” the office said. The FBI has announced a reward of $50,000 for information leading to the safe return of the victims and the perpetrators’ capture.

Warring factions of the Gulf drug cartel call Matamoros home, and on Friday, the violence escalated to the point where the U.S. Consulate issued a warning, and local authorities advised residents to seek cover. There appeared to be no obvious link between the kidnappings and the violence on Friday.

Tamaulipas state police reported fatalities and injuries on Friday but did not provide a precise number. The state police have stated that no law enforcement or military personnel were involved in the shootings on Friday.

Two unidentified civilians were involved in armed incidents, the state police said on Friday via social media.

Two unidentified civilians were involved in armed incidents, the state police said on Friday via social media. “Verification of the exact death toll is still underway.”

In Matamoros and other large border cities in Tamaulipas Mexico, victims of violence are often uncounted because cartels have a history of taking their bodies with them. Due to fears for their safety, local media outlets often choose not to report such events.

Online video-sharing platforms On Friday, cameras captured armed men putting two bodies into a truck in broad daylight in Mexico.

The State Department advises U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the state of Tamaulipas. Brownsville is a border city, so many Texans and other Americans cross over to see relatives, get medical care, or do their shopping. In addition, it would serve as a gateway for people heading further into Mexico.

For many years, spring breakers visiting South Padre Island, Texas, often extended their trip by spending a night in Matamoros. However, the region’s rising crime rate over the past decade to fifteen has scared away a lot of potential customers.

The van the victims were riding in on Friday, according to the FBI, had license plates from North Carolina, but authorities have released no other information about the victims or their backgrounds.

SOURCE – (AP)