14 Prisoners Die in Foiled Iran Jailbreak

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Fourteen prisoners were killed and thirty three others injured at an Iranian jail during a botched breakout bid which involved arson, a daily reported on Thursday.

The detainees, some of whom were on death row for drug-smuggling, clashed with guards on Wednesday at Ghezel Hesar prison near the city of Karaj, west of Tehran, Khorasan newspaper said.

"The escape plot by arson was foiled... due to the strong presence of officials and cooperation of some other prisoners who were against the plan," the report said, quoting a statement by the state prisons authority.

The newspaper did not report any injuries among the guards.

The government newspaper Iran meanwhile said none of the prisoners managed to escape and that officials have identified the main elements behind the attempted jailbreak.