A violent riot at a prison in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, has resulted in 33 fatalities and 15 injuries, according to Bernardino Rafael, the country’s police general commander.
Approximately 1,534 individuals escaped from the prison during the incident, though 150 have been recaptured, Rafael stated.
Mozambique is facing heightened civil unrest linked to October’s disputed election, which extended the rule of the long-governing party Frelimo. Opposition groups and their supporters allege the election was rigged.
While Rafael attributed the riot to protests outside the prison, Justice Minister Helena Kida told local private broadcaster Miramar TV that the unrest originated within the prison and had no connection to external protests.
“The confrontations afterward resulted in 33 deaths and 15 injuries near the jail,” Rafael said during a media briefing.
The identities of those killed and injured remain unclear.
Mozambique’s interior minister revealed on Tuesday that at least 21 people were killed in unrest following the country’s top court’s confirmation of Frelimo’s victory on Monday.
