DR Congo government says 129 killed in attempted prison break
nterior Minister Shabani Lukoo said a fire had also broken out in the jail's administrative building, its food depots and a hospital.
Democratic Republic of Congo's government said at least 129 people were killed while trying to escape from the central Makala prison in the capital Kinshasa late on Sunday, adding that the situation was now under control.
In a statement posted on X early on Tuesday, Interior Minister Shabani Lukoo said a fire had also broken out in the jail's administrative building, its food depots and a hospital. Some 59 people were wounded, he added.
More To Read
- Uhuru blames Tshisekedi’s lack of political will for DRC peace talks disruptions
- South African troops are dying in DRC: Why they’re there and what’s going wrong
- Rwanda denies SADC accusations of attacks on SAMIDRC troops, civilians
- Kagame fires warning shot at Ramaphosa as tensions over DR Congo conflict escalate
"The mass escape attempt at Makala Central Prison resulted in the loss of life and significant material damage," he said in the video statement.
Earlier, a prison official had said no prisoners had succeeded in escaping, adding that those who tried to escape had been killed. The government was investigating the incident.
The break-out attempt occurred around 2:00 a.m. (0100 GMT) on Sunday. Prisoners told Reuters they had heard heavy gunfire, as well as sounds of prisoners outside.
Top Stories Today
