Seven killed in Mexico, including two police

DURANGO: Seven people were killed in two separate incidents in northern Mexico, including two policemen shot dead when their patrol was ambushed, officials said.

The ambush seriously wounded two other police as the four were on their way to apprehend a suspect, the Coahuila State Agency of Investigations said in a statement.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Nuevo Leon state, soldiers killed five alleged gunmen in a shoot-out on a highway, according to a military source.

The source said the gunmen opened fire after they were asked to stop for a routine inspection, adding that no soldiers were wounded in the incident.

Authorities claim more than 35,000 lives have been lost since President Felipe Calderon launched an offensive against powerful, warring drug cartels in late 2006.

Media reports put the toll at nearer 41,000, including criminals, security forces and civilians.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011