NAYARIT—In a violent encounter between criminal factions on Thursday, at least 11 individuals were killed in Nayarit, a western state of Mexico known for its ongoing conflict among drug cartels.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the deadly incident occurred in an area identified as “Las Antenas,” where local authorities were engaged in retrieving bodies and gathering evidence for the investigation. In response to the violence, local police and other law enforcement agencies have ramped up security measures in the region.

Media sources suggest that the confrontation may have involved members from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, two of the most powerful drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. The clash is part of a series of recent armed conflicts in the mountainous Huajicori area, which have resulted in the displacement of families to safer municipalities, along with the temporary closure of various businesses and schools due to safety concerns.

The ongoing violence underscores the severe security challenges in Nayarit, where clashes between rival gangs continue to affect the local population and destabilize the region.