Four foreign cyclists have been killed and three others injured in southern Tajikistan after being hit by a car that fled the scene afterward.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement on July 29 that three cyclists were declared dead at the scene, while a fourth died later at a local hospital.

The other three suffered minor injuries, the ministry said.

A second statement said a 21-year-old male had been detained in connection with the incident.

A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe said two of the dead were U.S. citizens.

"Due to privacy concerns, we are unable to share further details. Our condolences go out to the victims' families, and we will continue to work with Tajik authorities in the ongoing investigation," the statement said.

AFP, quoting an unnamed source at the ministry, had earlier reported that two Dutch nationals were in the group. It did not specify the nationalities of the other three members or the nationalities of those who were killed.

The incident took place in the district of Danghara, 150 kilometers south of the capital, Dushanbe.

With reporting by AFP