Mexican daily El Universal cited the Red Cross as confirming the killings, which caused panic among local residents. Police cordoned off the area.

According to eyewitnesses, the victims were forced to get out of at least one vehicle, and shots were heard. A message for a rival gang was reportedly left by the bodies, although its content was not made public.

According to the authorities, about 13,000 people were killed in Mexico between January and September 2011 in incidents linked to organized crime. Since December 2006, the officially-confirmed death toll for such incidents is estimated at more than 47,000.

'; PrintArticle();//-->