Kinshasa, Sep 2 (IANS): Casualties were reported from an overnight "escape attempt" at the Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said on Monday.

Gunshots were heard for several hours, and deaths were reported in the Makala Central Prison on early Monday, reports Xinhua news agency, citing local media reports.

Muyaya, also the DRC's minister of media and communication, confirmed that the incident was an "escape attempt" from the prison and "security services are on-site to restore order and security."

The minister said further details would be disclosed later, urging the residents of Kinshasa to maintain composure. "The population of Kinshasa is invited not to panic. Other details will follow during the day," he wrote on the social media X.

In July 2024, the DRC state minister for Justice, Constant Mutamba, decided that a total of 1,284 inmates at the Makala Central Prison would be granted conditional release to ease the prison's overcrowding.