KHARTOUM, Sudan

Sudan said Tuesday that it arrested 11 "terrorists" of different nationalities in a security operation in southern Khartoum.

"Based on available information on a Daesh/ISIS-linked terrorist cell, a security operation, this morning, was carried out to arrest the cell" in southern neighborhoods, the Sudanese General Intelligence Service said in a statement.

Five intelligence officers were killed during an exchange of gunfire with terror suspects, it said.

The statement added that security forces are on a manhunt for four suspects who fled the scene.

Last week, authorities said they thwarted a coup attempt by a group of military officers.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara