One dead, five wounded in Chad prison breakout

One inmate was killed and five others were wounded in an attempted jail breakout in western Chad, a local security source said Monday.

Security guards "fired warning shots" after about 20 prisoners tried to escape from the jail at Bol, in the Lake Chad region, as the evening meal was being served on Sunday, the official said.

"Five prisoners" were wounded "and another was killed," the source said, adding that guards had rounded up all those who had tried to escape except for one.

A source with a local NGO, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attempted breakout was preceded by a protest over jail conditions.

"There was then an intense burst of gunfire, which was very worrying -- everyone thought it was an attack by Boko Haram," the source said, referring to the Nigerian jihadist group which is highly active in the region.

The NGO source confirmed the toll given by the security official but said the casualties had occurred when guards fired "at point-blank range."