(Reuters) - A dozen people were killed in an attack at a holiday party in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, Mexican authorities said Sunday.

The attack took place at dawn in the town of Salvatierra when an armed group opened fire on partygoers attending a posada, a traditional Mexican party held in the days leading up to Christmas, according to local media.

The state's attorney general office said on X that 12 people had been killed without giving any more details.

Guanajuato, home to a significant number of automotive and aeronautics factories, has in recent years become one of the most violent states in the country, amid clashes between powerful drug trafficking groups.