At least 39 people were killed Friday in central Mexico's state of Michoacan following a clash between Federal Police and an armed group, suspected to be from a drug cartel, authorities said.
There is a different count of the deaths ranging from 39 to 45 in media reports.
The shootout happened in Tanhuato, in Michoacan state, after a convoy of police and soldiers was ambushed.
The area on the border with neighboring Jalisco state is known as a stronghold of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which has been behind several large-scale attacks on federal and state forces recently.
Members of the security cabinet, headed by the Interior Ministry, traveled to the site to assess the situation.
According to local media, all but 2 of the dead were suspected gang members.
Since 2007, over 100,000 people have died in clashes between the drug gangs and security forces.
