Hundreds of Mexican soldiers were deployed to the US-Mexico border on Tuesday as part of a recently reached agreement that averted US tariffs on Mexican imports. 

The deployment is aimed at cracking down on fentanyl trafficking, a condition set by the US to avoid the threatened tariffs.

The troops will be stationed in key border areas known for high rates of illegal migration, as well as drug and weapons trafficking.  These areas include the border states of Baja California, Sonora, and Tamaulipas, according to military and government officials familiar with the plan.

The deployment is part of a larger strategy to eventually station 10,000 Mexican soldiers along the border. This plan is included in the agreement announced on Monday, in which the then-US president agreed to pause his proposed 25% tariffs on Mexican imports. In response, Mexico had prepared to implement retaliatory tariffs.

As part of the same deal, the US has also pledged to work towards stopping the flow of high-powered weapons from the US into Mexico, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed.

The agreement comes after concerns that a trade war between the two nations would likely have triggered a recession in Mexico, while also impacting US consumers with increased prices on Mexican imports, including vehicles. (ILKHA)