( CNN ) -- The mayor of Ciudad Juarez , Mexico , is asking Mexican federal authorities not to pull military units out of the region for at least another six months . A Mexican soldier controls traffic at the Mexico-U.S. border customs post in Ciudad Juarez on August 16 . A decision on whether to withdraw the troops is expected before September 15 . The troops were sent to the city across from El Paso , Texas , in the spring of 2008 to help quell violence involving warring drug cartels . An additional surge of troops was sent this spring . That surge appeared to work at first , cutting the homicide rate in Juarez drastically . But murders in the city spiked over the summer . Figures provided by the city show that in August . more than 300 people were killed , the deadliest month so far this year . In July , 260 died and in June , 220 . Those numbers were in stark contrast to 16 homicides in March , 42 in April and 60 in May . The mayor , Jose Reyes Ferriz , attributed the summer spike in violence to wars between cartels over the control of street drug-sale points . The cartels are hiring mostly youths to handle retail drug sales , he said , and that has resulted in most of the murder victims being between the ages of 14 and 25 . The mayor said Juarez is not ready for the army 's full withdrawal , even though he is aware the troops ' presence was meant to be a temporary solution to give the city time to get rid of corrupt police officers , hire new ones and train its new force . `` We have accomplished the part that has to do with strengthening the police , but the city is in a very difficult situation . We are asking part of the army to stay and help us , '' Reyes Ferriz said . In September , 750 newly graduated police cadets are expected to join Ciudad Juarez Police Department , and another 400 in October , bringing the force to a total of about 3,000 officers . According to figures provided by the military , more than 6,000 soldiers are serving in Joint Operation Chihuahua in Juarez , of which 3,600 have been assigned to narco-traffic operations . The rest have been assigned to traffic duties and street patrols . The operation 's spokesman , Enrique Torres , said the military is `` evaluating the security situation '' in the city and will be `` implementing a gradual withdrawal . ''
Mayor Carlos Reyes Ferriz would like federal army troops to stay two more months . Troops were sent to Ciudad Juarez to quell drug - fueled murders . Murders down in spring , but spike in summer ; more than 300 killed in August . Decision on whether to withdraw the troops is expected before September 15 .