Mexico City, May 2, (RHC), – At least three soldiers and one police officer were killed Friday in the state of Jalisco during clashes between a gang, police and the army, according to authorities.

The National defense secretary said the soldiers died after gunmen shot down an army helicopter in which they were traveling in Autlan, a city of the south of Jalisco. The chopper was forced to perform an emergency landing that injured 10 other soldiers and two police officers.

Jalisco government spokesman Gonzalo Sanchez said a police officer was killed in a separate clash, along with two alleged members of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel. One civilian was also killed.

The melee was sparked by the recently launched “Jalisco Operation” by Mexico’s armed forces that aims to monitor criminal activity in the state and would have led to the capture of an unidentified cartel leader, he said.