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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 8 March 2023
2 Americans dead, 2 rescued after violent Mexico kidnapping

By ALFREDO PEÑA terror that has prevailed for
Associated Press years in Matamoros, a city
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico dominated by factions of
(AP) — A road trip to Mex- the powerful Gulf drug car-
ico for cosmetic surgery tel who often fight among
ended with two Americans themselves.
dead — and two others Amid the violence, thou-
found alive in a rural area sands of Mexicans have
near the Gulf coast — after disappeared in Tamaulipas
a violent shootout and ab- state alone.
duction that was captured Villarreal confirmed the
on video, officials said Tues- deaths by phone during a
day. morning news conference
The surviving Americans by Mexican President An-
were back on U.S. soil af- drés Manuel López Obra-
ter being sped to the bor- dor, saying details about
der near Brownsville, the the four abducted Ameri-
southernmost tip of Texas, cans had been confirmed
in a convoy of ambulances by prosecutors.
and SUVs escorted by Mex- López Obrador said one
ican military Humvees and person was in custody.
National Guard trucks with “Those responsible will be
mounted .50-caliber ma- found and they are going
chine guns. to be punished,” the presi-
A relative of one of the vic- dent said. He referenced
tims said Monday that the A member of the Mexican security forces stands next to a white minivan with North Carolina arrests made in the 2019
four had traveled together plates and several bullet holes, at the crime scene where gunmen kidnapped four U.S. citizens killings of nine U.S.-Mexican
who crossed into Mexico from Texas, Friday, March 3, 2023.
from the Carolinas so one Associated Press dual citizens in Sonora near
of them could get a tum- the U.S. border.
my tuck from a doctor in The U.S. citizens were had been found, Tamauli- collided. Almost immedi- He complained about the
the Mexican border city of found in a rural area east pas Gov. Américo Villarreal ately, several men in tacti- U.S. media’s coverage of
Matamoros, where Friday’s of Matamoros called Ejido did not provide details on cal vests and toting assault the missing Americans, ac-
kidnapping took place. Longoreño on the way to the extent of the wounded rifles arrived in another ve- cusing them of sensational-
Irving Barrios, Tamaulipas the Gulf coast known as person’s injuries. hicle to surround the scene. ism. “It’s not like that when
state’s top prosecutor, “Bagdad Beach,” accord- Shortly after entering Mex- The gunmen walked one they kill Mexicans in the
confirmed the two Ameri- ing to a Mexican state law ico, the four were caught of the Americans into the United States, they go quiet
cans were turned over to enforcement official. He amid fighting between rival bed of a white pickup, then like mummies.”
U.S. authorities at the inter- spoke on condition of ano- cartel groups in the city. dragged and loaded the “It’s very unfortunate, they
national bridge to Browns- nymity because he was not Video and photographs three others. Terrified drivers (the U.S. government) has
ville, Texas. They were then authorized to publicly dis- taken during and immedi- sat silently in their cars, hop- the right to protest like they
taken to Valley Regional cuss the case. Word of their ately after the abduction ing not to draw their atten- have,” López Obrador said.
Medical Center with an location came to authori- show the Americans’ white tion. Two of the victims ap- “We really regret that this
FBI escort, according to ties before dawn Tuesday. minivan sitting beside an- peared to be motionless. happens in our country.”
the Brownsville Herald. A It was not immediately clear other vehicle, with at least Officials said a Mexican U.S. Attorney General Mer-
spokesperson for the hos- if the two bodies were also one bullet hole in the driv- woman also died in Friday’s rick Garland expressed his
pital referred all inquiries to being returned to the U.S. In er’s side window. A witness crossfire. sympathy for the families of
the FBI. announcing the Americans said the two vehicles had The shootings illustrate the the victims.q

Bangladesh building explosion kills at

least 17; scores hurt

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) clear what caused the ex- people on the upper floors
— An explosion in a seven- plosion, but some reports were trapped for hours af-
story commercial building said the explosion hap- ter the explosion.
in Bangladesh’s capital on pened from accumulated Brig. Gen. Main Uddin, di-
Tuesday killed at least 17 gas. rector general of the Fire
people and injured dozens, Bacchu Mia, a police offi- Servoce and Civil Defense,
officials said. cial at the state-run Dhaka said they could not enter
The explosion occurred in Medical College Hospital, the ground floor and they
Gulistan area, a busy com- said more than 50 people had no clear data if any-
mercial area of Dhaka, fire were taken there for treat- body was trapped.
department official Rashed ment, and at least 14 of He said that it was not pos-
bin Khaled said by phone. them were dead. The oth- sible to get to the ground Fire officials and locals carry an injured person to hospital after
an explosion, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
The building contained sev- ers later died from their floor as the building be- Associated Press
eral stores selling plumbing injuries, he said. Local me- came very risky because
products and household dia reported at least 100 the columns that hold up eration begin on Wednes- catching fire with workers
items, and its first two floors people were injured in the the building had collapsed. day morning. trapped inside.
were badly damaged, ac- blast. He said they would take Bangladesh has a history Monitoring groups have
cording to fire officials. The United News of Bangla- help from the military after of fires and industrial di- blamed corruption and lax
It was not immediately desh agency reported that the search and rescue op- sasters, including factories enforcement.q