Northern Mexico city’s police force quits after attacks

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico— An entire 20-man police force has resigned in a northern Mexico city after a series of attacks killed three officers.

Chihuahua state chief prosecutor Carlos Manuel Salas says the officers’ resignation Thursday leaves the 24,000 people of Ascension without local police services. He says state and federal police have moved in to take over police work.

Three of the town’s officers were killed by gunmen Tuesday. There have been at least three attacks on police stations in the city in the last month.

Chihuahua includes the violent border city of Ciudad Juarez and the state has had the most homicides blamed on organized crime and drug trafficking since the government’s anti-drug offensive began in December 2006.