A massive gun battle between rival drug and migrant trafficking gangs near the U.S. border Thursday has left 21 people dead and at least six others wounded. The fire fight occurred in a sparsely populated area about 12 miles from the Arizona border, near the city of Nogales. The region is a major corridor for illegal immigrant and drug smuggling. . Gangs often fight for control of trafficking routes and often steal “shipments” of illegal migrants from each other. This gun battle takes the level of conflict to a much bolder and bloodier level. Arizona has incited international controversy over its recent passage of law empowering state law enforcement officers to seek identification of suspected illegal immigrants.

Let’s pray…

“God, we pray for peace on the Mexican – Arizona border. We ask that you would intervene and break the grip of drug lords and human traffickers. Give U.S. and Mexican officials courage and wisdom to enforce justice. Protect the victims on both sides of the border. God, this will take a miracle and the solution will take your hand working in many areas. We ask that the demand for drugs in America would be broken. We ask that the demand driving sex trafficking would be broken. We ask that economic conditions in Mexico would improve so that residents there can find hope and reason to remain in their homeland. Work your will of peace and hope in this desperate situation. In Jesus we pray.”