Mozambique: Over 1,500 inmates escape Maputo jail,33 killed

In Mozambique, a suspected riot inside a jail has left at least 33 people dead and 15 injured, while more than 1,500 prisoners escaped, authorities said. Police general commander Bernardino Rafael on Wednesday said 150 of the prisoners who fled the prison in Maputo have been recaptured.A report by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said the prisoners overpowered guards and seized AK-47 rifles, allowing them to escape the correctional facility.

Over 1,500 prisoners escape Maputo jail after deadly riot pic.twitter.com/savgZ9eSn2

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Mozambique is experiencing escalating civil unrest linked to October’s disputed election, which extended long-ruling party Frelimo’s stay in power. Opposition groups and their supporters claim the vote was rigged. While Rafael blamed protests outside the prison for encouraging the riot, Justice Minister Helena Kida told local private broadcaster Miramar TV that the unrest was started inside the prison and had nothing to do with protests outside. “The confrontations after that resulted in 33 deaths and 15 injured in the vicinity of the jail,” Rafael told a media briefing.
Meanwhile, at least 21 people, including two police officers, were confirmed dead during two days of violence over election results on Monday and Tuesday, including attacks on petrol stations, police stations, and banks.The fatalities brought the death toll in the country to 151 since October 21, according to Plataforma Decide, an election monitoring group.The capital Maputo is among the cities most affected by the protests, in which at least 56 people died, with 380 more being injured.Other cities to be affected by the protests are Beira and Nampula.