The Mexican army says it has dealt a significant blow to a powerful drug cartel, with the arrest of one of the cartel leader's security chiefs, as the latest outbreak of violence between warring groups has left at least 13 people dead.

The army said on Monday that special military forces seized computer files and other data when they detained Felipe Cabrera Sarabia, a security chief of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, head of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Al Jazeera's Franc Contreras reports from Mexico City.