Mexican authorities said they rescued 42 hostages, including 18 children, who were kidnapped by criminal groups in the northwestern state of Sinaloa.

Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, 66 people were initially reported missing, with 42 now found. 

The search continues for the remaining 24 victims abducted on Friday in La Noria, outside Culiacan, the state capital. 

La Noria is a known hotspot for cartel violence, situated within the territory of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.

In the home turf of the Sinaloa drug cartel

Authorities deployed special forces, additional soldiers, and a National Guard battalion to conduct search and rescue efforts.

There has been asurge in mass abductions in the region around Culiacan.

The region is home to the notorious Sinaloa drug carte, with leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman at the helm. Guzman is currently serving a life sentence in the United States.

Although authorities refused to comment, the Friday kidnappings occurred just a day after clashes left three people dead in the town of Badiraguato, El Chapo's birthplace.

In Mexico, murders and kidnappings are routine in regions caught in drug cartel violence.

In October 2019, Culiacan saw violent riots by the Sinaloa cartel after an aborted operation to capture El Chapo's son, Ovidio Guzman. The same violent scene repeated in January 2023 after Guzman's son was arrested.

ss/lo(AFP, AP)