DUSHANBE, Tajikistan: At least three inmates were killed and three guards wounded during rioting at a prison in Tajikistan on Monday, officials in the Central Asian country said.

On Monday afternoon “a group of nine detainees in the Prison No. 3/2 carried out a deadly attack” on guards, using homemade knives in a escape bid, Tajikistan’s official press agency Khovar reported, citing the prison service.

“Three members of staff were seriously wounded” in the attack. Guards then opened fire and “three criminals were neutralised” and the rest arrested, Khovar wrote “Order has been restored” in the prison, Khovar wrote, without giving details. The Tajik state tightly controls media. The press agency said that the attackers “did not voice any complaints or conditions”.