BAKU, Feb 15: Dozens of inmates in the Azeri capital broke out of their cells on Tuesday and climbed on top of the prison building, waving white flags and demanding better treatment from their wardens.

The reporters saw nearly 100 people on the roof of the 11th prison colony with white flags and posters that read 'the warden is a blood-sucker' and 'SOS'. It was not immediately clear whether any prison guards were being held hostage, and the prison warden failed to clarify how the prisoners broke out onto the roof.

"Everything is under control. We are leading negotiations. We never expected something like this to happen," Ogtai Gasymov, the prison warden, told reporters in brief remarks.

He said 842 prisoners were inside the jail, and that no one had so far been injured. Reporters saw dozens of riot police surround the building, driven in by buses, around seven hours after the incident began. -AFP