13 Bodies Hung From Bridges by Mexican Drug Cartels' Gunmen Amid Bloody Turf War in Mexico

Mexican drug cartels' gunmen had hung 13 bodies of men from two separate overpasses in Mexico's Zacatecas state.

The horrific scenarios came as Zacatecas state is seeing a number of murders as rival Mexican drug cartels fight for control of some highways that link border states with the rest of Mexico.

According to a Breitbart report, gunmen had hung three bodies from a bridge in the town of Fresnillo last Monday, while the second incident took place on Thursday in Cuauhtémoc town, where 10 bodies were hung on another bridge.

But local media reported that the second case had seen only nine bodies suspended from the overpass, while the 10th body was thrown on the side of the road.

The state of Zacatecas released a statement acknowledging the "atrocious act" and noting that all 10 victims were men of various ages.

Most of the cartel violence in Zacatecas is reportedly connected to two main turf wars between Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel. There is also a second turf war between factions of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas.

Mexican drug cartels usually make public displays of bodies to taunt their rivals or authorities. It is also sometimes used to scare local residents, according to ABC News.

Cartel Violence Triggered by Turf Wars

Resort towns in Mexico, including Tulum, also face a rise in violence as Mexican drug cartels battle for territory.

New York Post reported that Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier announced the deployment of 1,500 National Guard soldiers carrying automatic weapons to keep visitors safe.

Hand-printed signs appeared in the Tulum marketplace the morning after two tourists were shot dead, while three others were wounded at a roadside eatery.

The sign said, "Attention merchants of Tulum... this was a warning," and went on to threaten owners and managers of bars and restaurants on the "Mini Quinta" tourist zone, where the foreigners, visiting the Malquerida Bar last month, got caught in cartel crossfire.

Texas-based security consultant Robert Almonte, an expert on Mexican drug cartels, told the Post that people saw a huge increase "in street fighting from the plaza bosses."

Almonte said Mexican drug cartels respond when rivals come to their territory. He cited his concern that although tourists are not the target, they could still get caught in cartel crossfire.

In June, 18 people were left dead in Zacatecas state after the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel had a confrontation, according to Business Insider.

The Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel are just two of the groups fighting for a territory in the north-central state of Zacatecas.

Aside from the two notorious Mexican drug cartels, the Gulf Cartel, Northeast Cartel, and the Los Talibanes also operate there. All five crime organizations are involved in the operations of trafficking fentanyl and other illegal drugs.

Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel

The Sinaloa Cartel is reportedly not a hierarchical structure. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno, alias "El Azul," and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada maintained their own separate but cooperating organizations.

The Jalisco Cartel New Generation or the Jalisco Cartel is currently the Sinaloa Cartel's main rival, InsightCrime reported.

The Jalisco Cartel came out from the Sinaloa Cartel in 2010 after the death of former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel, known as "Nacho."

The Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel remain as two most dominant organized crime groups in Mexico.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Mexico's Zacatecas Turns Into the Latest Battleground for Cartels - From Al Jazeera English