At least 27 killed in Tajik prison riot - sources

Tajik security forces have killed at least 25 inmates at a high-security prison in the northern city of Khujand where a riot broke out late on Wednesday, three security sources told Reuters on Thursday. Two security officers were also killed in a riot at a high-security prison in the northern Tajik city of Khujand, security sources said on Thursday.

Local authorities confirmed there had been a riot at the prison, but provided no other information. Khujand lies around 300 kilometres (186 miles) north of the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.

According to an interior ministry official not authorised to comment publicly, the riot started when one inmate though to be a member of Daesh attacked a prison guard.

The prison called in security forces to help quash the riot, which had now ended, said a security official speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Tajikistan, a poor Central Asian country, routinely reports detentions and convictions of militants.

Last July, Daesh claimed responsibility for an attack which killed four Western tourists in Tajikistan.