Georgia ? Police stormed a prison in the Georgian capital Monday after inmates rioted in an alleged escape attempt, sparking a gunbattle that left two guards and seven inmates dead, the Justice Ministry said.

At least 10 guards were wounded in two hours of shooting at the Ortochala prison in Tbilisi, home to some 4,000 inmates, and several buildings in the compound were burned, Justice Minister Georgy Kavtaradze said.

Officials were not sure how the inmates got their weapons but believe they were smuggled in. Kavtaradze said the riot was planned by several leaders in the jail as part of a carefully orchestrated escape attempt.