A brawl at an Athens prison has left at least two inmates dead and 21 others injured, many seriously, the Greek authorities said.

Authorities said the brawl happened in the Korydallos prison over control of a wing. The two dead inmates are Pakistani.

A justice ministry official said that prisoners of Albanian and Arab origin clashed with Pakistani inmates right after dinner on Sunday, and just before prisoners were led back to their cells, with makeshift knives.

The official added that the injured have been transferred to an outside hospital and at least two are in critical condition. He said the situation inside the prison is now calm.