MEXICO CITY — Authorities in Guerrero, a southern region of Mexico plagued by drug cartel conflicts, have discovered 11 deceased individuals, two of whom were minors, discarded along a highway, as stated by state prosecutors on Thursday.

The grim discovery was made late Wednesday when police were alerted about an abandoned pickup truck situated on a primary route in Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero. With a population of around 300,000, this city has been a hotspot for brutal cartel violence as two opposing drug gangs vie for dominance in the area.

The identities of the young victims have not been disclosed, but officials did confirm that among the 11 bodies, two were female. The location of the discovery is significant as it serves as a vital corridor linking Mexico City to the popular tourist destination of Acapulco.

Earlier this month, the newly elected mayor of Chilpancingo, Alejandro Arcos, was gruesomely murdered shortly after taking office. Arcos, who assumed his role on October 1, was found decapitated just a week later, with his severed head ominously placed on top of the truck.

The ongoing struggles for territorial control within the drug trade in Chilpancingo have been primarily attributed to two rival gangs, known locally as the Tlacos and the Ardillos. 2023 has witnessed an alarming escalation in violence, with one gang even orchestrating a demonstration involving hundreds of participants, seizing a government armored vehicle, obstructing a key highway, and taking police officers hostage to secure the release of arrested members.

This situation in Guerrero underscores the pervasive and violent nature of organized crime within the region, illustrating the dire challenges faced by local law enforcement and the community at large as they navigate the rampant criminal activities that disrupt their daily lives.