New Narco Violence Hotspot in Mexico: Los Tlacos and Los Ardillos Battle Terrorizes Guerrero

A new front of narco violence is tearing through Mexico's southern state of Guerrero, where a long-running war between the criminal groups known as Los Tlacos and Los Ardillos has escalated into attacks on rural communities, forced displacement, and a new federal security deployment.

Mexico's security secretary, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed Tuesday that 96 people have been officially registered as displaced in Chilapa, Guerrero, because of the dispute between Los Ardillos and Los Tlacos. He said the National Guard and the Army are already in the area and that authorities are working to establish another operations base after the latest surge in violence.

The official figure, however, is far lower than the estimates reported by community and human rights groups. The Associated Press reported that between 800 and 1,000 families have fled the mountainous region of Guerrero after Los Ardillos allegedly attacked rural communities with high-powered weapons and explosives dropped from drones.

The violence began intensifying last week in Indigenous communities around Chilapa, a municipality that has become one of the most dangerous pressure points in Guerrero's criminal map. Families fled in darkness, carrying backpacks and children as gunfire echoed through rural roads. Some took shelter in nearby towns and public spaces, according to AP.

"These have been days of terror," Marina Velasco, a representative of the People's Indigenous Council of Guerrero, known as CIPOG-EZ, told AP. "They've been bombing communities with drones, and how can one defend themselves from a drone with bombs falling from the sky."

The latest crisis has exposed the gap between government counts and local accounts. While Harfuch cited 96 displaced people, Indigenous leaders and rights groups say the number is much higher. The Guardian reported that hundreds of Indigenous families fled after attacks attributed to Los Ardillos, including drone bombings and high-caliber weapons. The outlet cited community reports of at least four deaths and widespread fear among women and children seeking refuge in churches.

The dispute centers on territory, drug routes, extortion networks and control of strategic corridors in Guerrero. Los Ardillos and Los Tlacos have fought for influence in Chilapa, Chilpancingo, Quechultenango and mountain communities where criminal groups have long taken advantage of poverty, isolation and weak state presence.

Los Ardillos emerged nearly two decades ago in Guerrero's mountain region. Mexican press reports trace the group's origins to Quechultenango, where Celso Ortega Rosas, nicknamed "La Ardilla," allegedly began building a criminal network linked to poppy cultivation and territorial control around 2000. The group later expanded into extortion, transport rackets and local political influence, according to Infobae.

Los Tlacos, meanwhile, have operated as a rival criminal force in Guerrero, especially around Chilpancingo and surrounding areas. Their fight with Los Ardillos is not only about drugs. It is also about who controls roads, commerce, local authorities, transportation, and the daily economy of communities trapped between armed groups.

The Guerrero violence comes as President Claudia Sheinbaum's government faces pressure to show results against organized crime while avoiding the large-scale militarized strategies that defined previous administrations. Harfuch has said federal forces are present in the area, but residents and Indigenous organizations have accused authorities of failing to act quickly enough.

Guerrero has long been one of Mexico's most violent states, shaped by cartel fragmentation, illegal mining, extortion, poppy cultivation and battles for municipal power. The state is also home to Acapulco, once Mexico's most famous beach destination, now struggling with organized crime, reconstruction after hurricanes and persistent insecurity.