Clashes injure 21 people in Mexico’s Guerrero

Clashes between Mexican police and protesters over the case of a number of missing students have left at least 21 people injured in Mexico’s southern state of Guerrero.

The violent clashes took place in the state capital of Chilpancingo on Sunday when protesters were setting up metal barriers in preparation for a concert in solidarity with the missing students.

The Tlachinollan human rights group said at least 13 people were injured in the violence, including teachers, students, the parents of the missing students and two journalists.

A police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said eight officers were hurt in the incident, including five who were run over by a vehicle. In addition, three other officers were beaten by protesting teachers.

On September 26, 43 student teachers disappeared in the state’s southern city of Iguala following an attack by police forces suspected of having links to drug gangs. The incident took place during a protest over teachers’ rights.

Austrian experts have identified one of the missing students from a piece of bone in a bag of ash and burned tire discovered in a river, where a drug gang members claimed to have thrown the students’ remains.

Violent protests have erupted in Mexico ever since officials announced that members of the Guerreros Unidos drug cartel had confessed to receiving the young men from corrupt police officers, before killing them and burning their remains.