BBC international correspondent Quentin Sommerville has traveled to Culiacán in northern Sinaloa state to report from the epicenter of deadly cartel violence. The Mexican city has transformed into a war zone as rival factions of the powerful Sinaloa cartel battle for territorial control. Sommerville's dangerous assignment puts him on the front lines of one of Mexico's most violent conflicts.
The BBC reporter's ground reporting reveals a civilian population gripped by terror and trapped in their own city. Residents describe an atmosphere where "fear is everywhere" as gunfights erupt without warning on city streets. Many families remain locked in their homes, afraid to venture outside for basic necessities like food and medicine.
The surge in violence stems from internal fighting within the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico's most powerful drug trafficking organizations. Rival factions have turned the city streets into battlegrounds following a power struggle that erupted after recent arrests of cartel leaders. The conflict has escalated beyond typical cartel disputes, with military-grade weapons and tactics now commonplace.
Culiacán has long served as the operational headquarters for the Sinaloa cartel, earning it the nickname "narco capital" of Mexico. The city of nearly one million people has historically lived under cartel influence, but residents say the current violence surpasses anything they have experienced. Local businesses have shuttered, schools have closed, and public transportation has ground to a halt in many neighborhoods.
Sommerville's reporting from the dangerous zone highlights the international media's struggle to document Mexico's cartel crisis. The BBC correspondent's presence in Culiacán underscores the severity of the situation and growing global concern about Mexico's ability to contain the violence. His reporting provides rare firsthand accounts from a conflict zone that most journalists cannot safely access.
The escalating violence in Culiacán represents a broader crisis facing Mexico as cartels grow increasingly bold and militarized. Mexican authorities have deployed additional security forces to the region, but the cartel factions continue their territorial battle with little regard for civilian casualties.