At least 129 people were killed during a weekend prison break attempt at the largest jail in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the interior minister said on Tuesday.
"The provisional human toll is 129 dead, including 24 who were shot after warnings," minister Jacquemain Shabani said in a video message, adding that at least 59 others had been wounded at the Makala prison in the capital, Kinshasa.
His ministry said several people had been crushed or suffocated and a number of women had been raped.
Witnesses told AFP gunfire had started at the prison at around 2:00 am on Monday morning and lasted for several hours.
Daddi Soso, an electrician in his 40s living in the capital, reported seeing security force vehicles taking bodies away in the early hours.
The authorities did not indicate as to how many inmates had escaped or attempted to do so, but at mid-morning on Monday government spokesman Patrick Muyaya told national television the situation was "under control".
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Over 200 Fall Sick After Drinking Contaminated Water At Noida Society
Mpox Death Count Crosses 570 As Congo Awaits Vaccines New Strain Of Mpox Causing Miscarriages, Killing Children, Warn Scientists "All Eyes On Congo": Social Media Ignites Support For Decades-Long African Crisis Sultan Of Brunei, Who Owns 7,000 Cars, Welcomes PM Modi On 1st-Ever Visit "Code Names In Series Reflect...": Netflix On 'IC 814' Web Series Row CCTV Shows Student Being Chased By Cow Vigilantes Before Being Shot Dead Wearable Devices Could Help Detect Early Signs Of COVID-19: Study Man Cites "Live-In Relationship Agreement" To Get Bail In Rape Case Hyundai Aura Hy-CNG Introduced In E Variant, Priced From Rs 7.48 Lakh Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.