>>At least 30 killed in Mexican drug-related violence
US President Barack Obama on Wednesday called the parents of a US agent killed in Mexico in the latest violent outburst in the Mexican government\'s crackdown on brutal drugs cartels.
 |
| Mexican police guard the US diplomatic vehicle that came under attack by unknown assailants in Santa Maria del Rio, San Luis Potosi State. |
The White House said that the US Justice Department and the US Homeland Security Department were establishing a joint task force to work with Mexican authorities to probe the incident, which also left another US agent injured.
"The president has been fully informed on what happened in Mexico," said White House spokesman Jay Carney, saying Obama had spoken to the parents of Special Agent Jaime Zapata to offer condolences on their loss.
"Their son served our country admirably, the president said, and assured his parents that the entire country was grateful for his selfless service and contributions to our nation."
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were attacked while driving in a car between Mexico City and the northern industrial city of Monterrey.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said "absolutely" when asked if Washington had faith that the Mexican authorities would fully investigate the killing.
"The (President Felipe) Calderon government has stepped forward in recent years.
They are, with the United States\' help, taking aggressive action against the perpetrators of this kind of violence," Crowley told reporters.
"Clearly this was a horrible act. And we express our deepest sympathy to the families and colleagues of these agents. We are cooperating fully with Mexican authorities in investigating this," he added.
"The full resources of our government are at the disposal of our Mexican partners in this investigation," Crowley said.
The Mexican Foreign Ministry condemned the "grave act of violence," and said that it was working closely with US officials to solve the crime and help the wounded agent.
US embassy officials in Mexico City told AFP that the agents were assigned to an ICE office in the Mexican capital, but did not say if they were on an assignment when they were attacked.
A US law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Dallas Morning News that the agents, who were probably unarmed, were shot as they approached an unofficial checkpoint apparently manned by members of the Zetas paramilitary drug gang.
Drug gangs sometimes set up roadblocks to search for potential kidnap victims, steal cars, or rob travelers. It was unclear whether the agents were targeted because they worked for the US government.