Mexico investigates soccer field attack that killed at least 11 people

SALAMANCA, Mexico:

Beer cans, candles, and blood-stained clothing littered a soccer field in central Mexico on Monday, a day after gunmen killed 11 people and injured 12 others during a gathering after an amateur match.

While authorities investigate the killings, Guanajuato state Governor Libia Dennise Garcia said on Monday that "security in the region has been reinforced" with state and federal forces. She said on social media that the state "will act decisively to protect families, restore peace to the community, and bring those responsible to justice".

The massacre took place in the municipality of Salamanca, in the state with the highest number of homicides in the country.

The region has been wracked by intense violence linked to the territorial dispute between the local Santa Rosa de Lima cartel -- a violent group primarily dedicated to fuel theft and trafficking -- and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, CJNG.

Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto -- the only official to provide early details on Sunday -- described the massacre as part of a "wave of violence" and appealed to President Claudia Sheinbaum for help.

It also comes a few months before the start of the FIFA World Cup, which Mexico is co-hosting with Canada and the United States and as the government seeks to highlight its progress in security.

Sheinbaum didn't address the events in Salamanca during her news briefing on Monday, deferring to the local prosecutor's office, which has only confirmed an ongoing investigation.

Authorities have not offered any hypotheses regarding the possible motive for the attack. - AP