At least 129 people were killed during an attempted prison break at the central Makala prison in the Congolese capital Kinshasa late Sunday.
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo said the situation was now under control.
In a statement published on X early Tuesday, Interior Minister Shabani Lukoo said a fire had also broken out in the prison’s administrative building, its food depots and a hospital. About 59 people were injured, he added.
“The mass escape attempt at Makala Central Prison resulted in loss of life and significant material damage,” he said in the video statement.
Earlier, a prison official had said that no inmates had managed to escape, adding that those who tried to escape had been killed. The government investigated the incident.
The attempted breakout occurred around 02:00 (01:00 GMT) on Sunday. Prisoners told Reuters they had heard heavy gunfire, as well as sounds from prisoners outside.
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