At least 27 people were killed in a shootout during a riot in a high-security prison in north Tajikistan on Wednesday night, a news agency reported on Thursday.

The riot started on Wednesday night after an inmate believed to be a member of the Islamic State terrorist group seized an assault rifle from one of the guards and attacked the other guards with the help of fellow inmates, according to the report which cited anonymous security sources.

A guard, a policeman and 25 inmates were killed in the crossfire before riot police restored order. Six guards were injured and taken to the hospital. Tajik authorities have issued no official statement on the incident so far.