NIAMEY, Niger, July 14, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Niger has recaptured "a large number" of detainees who escaped from a high-security prison near the capital Niamey, the army said Saturday, adding that three of the "dozens" of escapees had been killed.

The jailbreak occurred on Thursday at the Koutoukale prison that houses many jihadist insurgents that have targeted the West African nation for years.

In a statement, the army said a mutiny broke out at the prison, with "several dozens of inmates taking advantage of the situation to escape".

"Thanks to a rapid and efficient response... A large number of the fugitives were caught," it said, without providing details.

It added that three "armed terrorists" were killed and that searches were underway "to find the remaining escapees" in a populated area around the Niger river.

Authorities had ordered a curfew after the escape, without specifying the number of fugitives at large.

Koutoukale prison is in the Tillaberi region, a vast and unstable border area of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso that is prone to attacks by rebels linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda groups.

Niger is ruled by a military junta that seized power in a July 2023 coup, citing a worsening security situation as justification for the power grab.

The army also said Saturday that six soldiers were killed in a jihadist attack Wednesday in the neighbouring Tahoua region.

It said "22 terrorists" had been killed in subsequent operations in Tillaberi between Thursday and Saturday.