Five Mexican soldiers were killed and another ten injured on Friday in an attack on a military convoy which may have been organized by the sons of jailed drug baron Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, officials said.

The attack took place in the north-western city of Culiacan, the home of the Sinaloa drug cartel, whose former leader Guzman was recaptured in January after escaping from prison. Officials believe that Guzman's sons were behind the attack, according to General Alfredo Duarte Mujica.

The soldiers were escorting an ambulance carrying a suspected drug cartel member, whom they had shot and arrested, to a hospital when they were ambushed. Guzman is currently fighting his extradition to the United States where he faces charges of murder, drug trafficking, organized crime and money laundering.