10 Dead in Horror Attack in Mexico's Puebla State

Gunmen stormed the sleepy town of Tehuitzingo before dawn Sunday, leaving 10 people dead in a horror attack that has shocked Mexico.

Authorities say the victims included six men, three women and a child — all gunned down in the early hours in a brutal massacre that’s now under federal investigation.

Police have yet to name any suspects, fueling fears that ruthless cartel violence is spiraling out of control in the east-central state of Puebla.

The slaughter is just the latest in a wave of bloodshed gripping the region. In February, six people were massacred in nearby Huehuetlán El Grande. Days later, three more were killed when attackers opened fire on a vehicle in Puebla’s capital.

Terrified locals are demanding answers as the body count keeps climbing.

Earlier this month, between 800 and 1,000 families were forced to flee their homes in the mountains of central Mexico as a criminal mafia attacked them with handmade explosives launched from drones and powerful weapons, community and human rights groups said Sunday.

The wave of violence in the conflict-torn state of Guerrero started on Wednesday when a powerful group known as Los Ardillos began to fiercely attack the communities in a rural mountainous region.

Thousands of people – including children and the elderly – were forced to flee in just a span of days after what they say were years of mounting attacks.

At least one person was injured, said an organization representing the community, People’s Indigenous Council of Guerrero – Emiliano Zapata (CIPOG-EZ).

Videos show families fleeing their homes early in the morning, on Mother’s Day, cloaked by darkness with nothing more than backpacks. Other images shared with The Associated Press show heavy gunfire echoing over farms and drones rigged with explosives lying in the brush.