Authorities in north Mexico rescue women, seize weapons

MEXICO CITY – Officials in a northern Mexico border state say they have arrested four men and rescued 13 women after security forces came under attack.

The Chihuahua state government says that state police, soldiers and federal police were fired upon while performing surveillance. They chased their attackers — two of whom turned out to be municipal police from Carichi — and seized a number of rifles and an armoured vehicle.

In a statement Thursday, the government said the four arrested were suspected members of the Sinaloa cartel.

Inside a vehicle authorities found a woman who was gagged and handcuffed. They also rescued 12 other females, including five minors, but did not offer details on how they came to be with the men.