Mexico drug war: Gunmen kill 11 in drug rehabilitation center

Gunmen using assault weapons killed 11 people and wounded as many as 10 others at a rehabilitation center in northern Mexico on Sunday, almost a year to the day after a similar attack nearby.

According to Agence France-Presse, the deadly attack took place late Sunday at a facility known as the “Your Life on the Rock” on the outskirts of Torreon, in the border state of Coahuila.

"The armed attackers came on two pickup trucks, entered the center and opened fire," a senior police official told AFP.

Spanish news agency EFE put the number of injured at 10, while other agencies said eight or nine had been hurt. 

Thirteen people were killed at a drug rehabilitation center in the same city in June last year, Reuters reported.

There have been a number of attacks in recent years on drug rehabilitation centers.

According to EFE, gunmen working for drug cartels appear to target individuals who are using the centers to sell drugs on rival turf. 

This latest incident is part of a widespread drug war that has killed more than 50,000 people across Mexico in the past six years.

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Drug-related violence is a key issue in the looming presidential election, with the three main candidates promising to improve security in the country.

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