Mayor northern Mexican town found shot to death

The mayor of a small Mexican town was found shot to death on Friday afternoon, local media said, in a sign that local officials continue to be targeted by criminal gangs.

Saul Vara had been missing since mid-week and his body was found off a highway about 200 miles (320 km) from his municipality of Zaragoza, which is in the northern state of Coahuila, local media said.

Officials said that several shell casings were found near the body presumed to be Vara. Last year, 13 mayors were killed as the government continued a campaign against violent drug traffickers.

More than 30,000 people have been killed in Mexico since late 2006 when President Felipe Calderon mobilized the army and other security services to confront drug traffickers who use the country as a transit point to bring drugs into the United States.