Mayor in Mexican border state killed

The daughter of Mayor Marco Antonio Leal Garcia of the town of Hidalgo was also wounded in the attack, the office said.

The mayor was attacked in SUVs by gunmen suspected to belong to drug gangs as he drove through the rural municipality of Hidalgo.

President Calderon condemned the attack, vowing to continue his fight against drug gangs.

"This cowardly crime and the reprehensible violent events recently in the region strengthen our commitment to continue fighting the criminal groups that seek to terrify families (in Tamaulipas)," Calderon said in a statement.

This is the second killing of a mayor in the area in two weeks where two car bombs exploded and the bodies of 72 murdered migrant workers were found .

The motive of the attack was not clear yet.

In late June, gunmen killed Roldolfo Torre Cantu, a candidate for governor in northern Mexican state Tamaulipas.

Government officials revealed that more than 28,000 people had died during the nation's fight against organized crime, which has been a central plank of Calderon's policy since he took power in December 2006.