Four detainees escaped from the central prison in Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, during a breakout in which two soldiers were killed in gunfire, the interior ministry said on Monday, describing the four as "terrorists".
The ministry did not identify the escapees or say why they were in prison but it said an exchange of gunfire followed their late Sunday breakout and two national guard members were killed and two were wounded.
The national guard had secured the prison and were in pursuit of the four, the ministry said.
