At least 23 bodies with gunshot wounds and hands bound have been found in western Mexico where drug cartels, vigilantes and and security forces have been fighting for much of the year.

The bodies were discovered on an abandoned property near the town of Buenavista Tomatlan in Michoacan state along with a sign indicating they may have been members of the Knights Templar cartel, state prosecutor's spokesman Alejandro Arellano said.

The area near the Jalisco state border has suffered a wave of violence for most of this year, as vigilante groups have risen up against the Knights Templar cartel which has controlled the area through violence and extortion.

Authorities believe some vigilante groups are supported by a rival cartel, Jalisco New Generation, which is fighting for the Knights Templar territory. The groups deny the claims.

Mr Arellano said the sign found alongside the bodies read: "For those who continue to support the Knights Templar, we are here, united."

He said the note was signed with the initials of the New Generation, as well as the initials G C, indicating another vigilante group.
Police on patrol in Michoacan stateThousands of police were sent into the area in May to battle the cartels
President Enrique Pena Nieto's government sent thousands of troops and police to the area in May to try to regain control of the state.

While residents initially welcomed their arrival and some vigilante groups agreed to put down their arms, the calm was short-lived.

Although the government claims that killings across Mexico are down, it has struggled to come up with an effective strategy for Michoacan and neighboring Guerrero states - an area known as the Tierra Caliente, or Hot Land, for its climate.

The Knights Templar launched a co-ordinated attack on police last month, killing at least four officers and wounding a number of others.

They also killed one of Mexico's highest-ranking navy officers and a bodyguard last month when they ventured on to a local road in Michoacan to get around a roadblock.

Around the same time, residents in Guerrero were forced to flee their villages because of drug violence.