Mexico City - A series of shootouts between two off-duty soldiers and police officers in Mexico left six people dead Friday in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, media reports said.

The soldiers, who were reportedly off duty, ran into the ministerial police officers in the town of Villaldama in the early morning. The two groups failed to identify themselves, and they started shooting at each other, W Radio reported.

The soldiers killed two police officers and escaped in a stolen van, which broke down. They then stopped a driver and stole his car.

The two then killed an officer and injured another in a second clash when they were intercepted by police on the road.

The soldiers stole the police patrol car and made it to a private home in which they barricaded themselves. A third shootout at the home between police and the soldiers led to the death of another officer. The two soldiers were later shot dead by police. (dpa)