Dozens rescued after kidnappings by Mexican gangs

The release on Sunday came after 42 people were released a day earlier amid a wave of violence.

Also on Sunday, a member of Mexico's national guard was killed in the region as he took part in the rescue efforts in the capital of Sinaloa state.

Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha said in his profile on the X platform that the number of people released had been updated to 58, including 36 adults and 22 children.

Rocha did not provide details on how and where the 58 people were rescued but said another eight were still missing.

Sinaloa's public security secretary, Gerardo Merida, said none of the people released agreed to formally accuse their kidnappers.

Federal authorities sent 600 special forces troops to Sinaloa to search for the missing people.

An additional 300 soldiers and a National Guard battalion are also operating in the area.

Prosecutors in Sinaloa said they opened nine investigations for incidents between Friday and Saturday.

Local authorities have not said who was behind the mass kidnappings, which took place one day after three people were killed in the state's Badiraguato region.

Culiacan and other cities in the state have been the scenes of violent incidents in recent years, with killings by members of the powerful Sinaloa cartel.

Residents of Culiacan had a difficult time last year after the recapture of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, one of the sons of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

He was extradited to the United States to face a lawsuit for drug dealing and money laundering.

Guzman Lopez's arrest left dozens of deaths in the region.

Australian Associated Press