Casualties Reported after Clash Between Armed Groups in Chiapas

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Two are dead and several others were wounded after a shootout between two armed groups on a rural highway in central Chiapas.

The incident occurred this Friday in the border area between the municipalities of Venustiano Carranza and Nicolás Ruiz, where community members and alleged members of organized crime reportedly clashed amidst a roadblock and territorial disputes.

Preliminary reports indicate that the attack occurred when an armed group stormed the area and opened fire on residents, leading to an exchange of gunfire that lasted several minutes. Numerous videos of the event show locals hurling stones, hiding behind trees from gunfire, and finally show corpses and vehicles with bullet holes after the attack.

Casualty accounts vary. In a video, the state attorney general claimed that two were killed in the attack with another eight being injured. Videos posted online of the event show at least two corpses. Local news reported as many as six were killed.

Sources: El Sol de Chiapas, Vision Chiapas, Noticazo