Iraqi officials say about 15 prisoners have escaped from a prison in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit and authorities have locked down the city as they search for fugitives.

Iraqi military spokesperson Major General Abdul-Karim Khalaf said on Thursday that six of the escaped inmates are considered dangerous.

A curfew was imposed on the city after the escape on Wednesday night. Authorities are distributing wanted posters with photos of the fugitives and are running checkpoints around the city, which is about 80 miles (130 kilometres) north of Baghdad.

Khalaf says extra surveillance has also been ordered at Iraq's borders and throughout the northwest of the country. - Sapa-AP