This is the moment Mexican teenage boys wearing bulletproof vests are seen shooting assault rifles as part of a "cartel training exercise".

The video shows members of the Nueva Familia Michoacana Cartel training their next generation of armed fighters, according to local media.
In the footage, several boys are seen firing assault rifles at an off-screen target while wearing bulletproof vests.

The footage is believed to have been filmed in the central Mexican state of Guerrero, although the cartel is thought to mainly operate in the neighbouring state of Michoacan.

In another video released on social media, teenagers are seen patrolling the streets of the municipality of Almoloya de Alquisiras in the state of Mexico in vans marked with the letters FM – which stands for Familia Michoacana.
The boys, who are allegedly led by a teenager called "El Dorito" or "El Doriloco", are seen wearing uniforms while brandishing assault rifles.


In the background, a suspected cartel member can be heard saying: “We are cleaning up here in Almoloya de Alquisiras.”

According to reports, the Mexican states of Michoacan and Guerrero are most affected by turf wars between rival gangs.
These videos were shared on social media after residents of Texcaltitlan, Almoloya de Alquisiras and Sultepec complained that an alleged turf war between the Nueva Familia Michoacana and Jalisco New Generation cartels was taking place.

However, the reports were rejected by the city council of Sultepec, according to local media.

One day later, two men were reportedly found dead in the municipality with FM marked on their bodies.
Terrifying video this month showed cartel members storm a hospital to kidnap a patient who was later found chopped into pieces.

This comes after it was reported that the sons of drug lord El Chapo were hiding out in their Mexican cartel stronghold to avoid a bloody gun battle.

El Chapo’s infamous cartel was said to be slaughtering Colombians “every 72 hours” to control the drug market.