Mozambique police commander says 33 dead, 1,500 escaped from prison

26/12/2024 6:05

A prison riot in Mozambique's

capital Maputo left 33 people dead and 15 injured, the country's

police general commander Bernardino Rafael said on Wednesday.



About 1,534 people escaped from the prison in the incident

but 150 of them have now been recaptured, Rafael said.



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.



The identities of those killed and injured were unclear.



Mozambique's interior minister said on Tuesday that at

least 21 people were killed in unrest after the country's top

court on Monday confirmed Frelimo's victory.