According to a news agency report citing a U.S. official, two American military personnel who died in a car crash on Sunday in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, were officers of the Central Intelligence Agency. They were heading back from an operation to take down a drug lab in northern Mexico when the accident happened.
Initial information had identified the individuals as employees of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. They were identified by U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson, who, according to reports, previously worked for the CIA as well.
Two Mexican investigators also lost their lives in the incident. According to Mexican authorities, the crash occurred while the vehicle was returning from an operation to destroy drug labs belonging to criminal groups. However, discrepancies have been noted in the accounts provided by U.S. and Mexican officials.
On Tuesday, it was reported that the CIA’s involvement in the incident had been confirmed by three sources familiar with the details.
The statement came after several days of conflicting information from Mexican and U.S. authorities regarding the role of American officials in the drug seizure operation.