An official in the Democratic Republic of Congo says gunmen have attacked a jail in the southeastern state of Katanga, killing two people and allowing nearly 1,000 prisoners to escape.

Katanga provincial minister Dikanga Kazadi said eight assailants attacked guards at the prison on Wednesday in a bid to free a jailed militant.

He said one of the two people killed was a guard. The identity of the second was unclear.

Kazadi said almost 970 prisoners escaped during the incident and police recaptured about 150 of them.

No other details were immediately available.