At least 29 people have been killed in Mexico following violent clashes and hours of shootouts prompted by the capture of one of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's sons.

Iran PressAmerica: Nineteen suspected gang members and 10 military personnel were killed in a wave of violence surrounding the arrest of Mexican drug cartel boss Ovidio Guzman in the northern state of Sinaloa, Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval said on Friday.

Mexican security forces captured Guzman, the 32-year-old son of jailed kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, in the early hours of Thursday morning, prompting hours of unrest and shootouts with gang members, the minister said.

The ministry has also released a photo of the drug cartel boss following his arrest on Thursday.

Detailing the violent events that unfolded on Thursday, Mr Sandoval said cartel gunmen opened fire on troops with .50 caliber machine guns.

The arrest spurred the powerful Sinaloa Cartel — once headed by El Chapo himself — to go on a rampage, setting vehicles on fire, blocking roads, and fighting security forces in and around Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa. 219