11 killed in anti-cartel operation in northwest Mexico: Official

MEXICO CITY: Eleven presumed gunmen were killed in an anti-cartel military operation in northwestern Mexico, officials said on Thursday.

The Public Security Secretariat said the operation was carried out by Mexican Marines in the conflict-ridden state of Sinaloa, where government forces raided homes tied to the Sinaloa cartel faction allied with Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.

Loyalists to Zambada, jailed in the United States since 2024, have been waging war against allies of the sons of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who has also been imprisoned in the US.

Gunmen opened fire on the Marines when they arrived at one of the target properties, with a preliminary toll of 11 deaths in the ensuing firefight, according to the security secretariat's statement. No injuries were reported in the operation.

Government forces detained the alleged daughter of a leader of the faction, known as the "Mayiza," though the unnamed woman was released after authorities determined she was unrelated to criminal activity.

Authorities say they're maintaining operational presence in the region, where the raid ignited a wave of highway blockades and burning of businesses.

Mexico has increased arrests of drug traffickers and drug seizures as US President Donald Trump pressures Mexican authorities to crack down on cartels.