BAGHDAD, Dec 28: Nine people were killed in exchanges of gunfire on Wednesday when a group of Iraqi prisoners attempted to break out of a prison in northern Baghdad, the US military said in a statement.

An Iraqi interior ministry official had earlier said 20 detainees and one prison guard were killed in the failed breakout.

Some 16 detainees, held at a high security facility in the district of Kadhimiyah, stormed the armoury and seized a number of weapons, the US military said.

Four Iraqi prison guards, one interpreter and four prisoners were killed in the ensuing firefight, while one US soldier and five prisoners were wounded, the statement said.

None of the prisoners escaped.

Many of those detained at the prison are understood to be held on terrorism charges.—AFP