A cell of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel attacked a Michoacán town with drones carrying explosives, spreading terror through the community before the National Guard responded and drove the attackers out of town.

The incident occurred Tuesday night in Villa Victoria, the municipal seat of Chinicuila, west of Coalcomán and east of the state border with Colima.

Villa Victoria residents were awoken by gunshots and explosions as cartel hitmen moved into the town. The newspaper El Universal reported that some families fled while others hid in bedrooms and bathrooms.

Drones armed with C-4 explosives targeted homes, causing substantial damage to buildings in the area.

Security footage shows gunmen shooting at homes and kicking down doors. Residents said gang members entered homes and beat the inhabitants, but no deaths or serious injuries have been reported.

“All those houses belonged to innocent people … they kicked down all the doors, but so far it’s all right, just people [who were] beaten,” one witness said.

The National Guard responded and drove gang members out of town but were unable to detain any of the aggressors, who fled into the nearby hills.

The gunmen reappeared and attacked the National Guard forces in the morning, and the ensuing conflict lasted at least two hours, El Universal reported.

With reports from El Universal and UnoTV