Gang Battle Kills 11 in Venezuela

A gang shootout in Venezuela left 11 people dead, local media and prosecutors said Tuesday, just weeks after the government launched a nationwide initiative to crack down on escalating violence.

The two groups squared off in a farm in the state of Guarico on Monday and most of the deaths were from gunshot wounds, the prosecutor's office said.

A number of gangs compete over influence and extort landowners in the area.

Some 40 members of one gang used a number of different firearms to attack nine men who attempted to rob and extort the owners of a farm, local media reported.

The Venezuelan government brought in a national plan in September to encourage gangs to disarm and reduce the levels of crime in the second most violent South American country.

Despite the efforts high-profile gang violence and assassinations of public figures and government officials continue to shake the country.