A rare mass shooting in Greece on Monday afternoon has left six victims in a sparsely populated site in township east of the greater Athens, with initial reports pointing to an armed clash between criminal gangs.

The same initial reports said the victims are foreign nationals, possibly Albanians. No information was given on the ages of the victims, or if they are all males.

Five of the bodies were found in a vehicle with German plates, and the body of one victim was found on a street in a remote part of the coastal town of Loutsa, also known as Artemida. The mostly rural and semi-rural area where the shooting took place is dotted with single-residence homes built within plots.

An extensive manhunt has commenced, with witnesses identifying a possible getaway car.