A video captured by an onboard camera in an official SEDENA (Mexican Secretariat of National Defense) vehicle recorded the moment Mexican Army personnel engaged a group of cartel gunmen traveling in improvised armored vehicles—known as “monsters”—during patrols this past January in the town of El Roble, in the municipality of Concordia, Sinaloa.
The footage shows the exact moment one of the criminal group’s improvised armored vehicles collided head-on with a military truck.
Although the official vehicle lacked armor and took a direct hit from the heavy, reinforced unit, the soldiers held their formation and returned fire to suppress the armed attack.
The military personnel’s quick response prevented the assailants from escaping. After neutralizing the enemy fire and securing the area, the soldiers apprehended the four gunmen who had been inside the armored vehicle.
The incident unfolded during ground reconnaissance operations near the town of El Roble. Military personnel were intercepted by a group of gunmen traveling in two heavy, improvised armored vehicles.
Despite an initial encirclement, the second vehicle managed to break through the perimeter and flee, triggering an intensive search operation across the local backroads.
Moments later, the fleeing vehicle was located by Army troops. Upon noticing the military presence, the occupants opened fire on the federal forces, sparking a pursuit that ended when the “monster” crashed.
