- Over 129 individuals perished following an attempted prison break in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During a failed prison breakout in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as per reports, at least 129 individuals have lost their lives. In this incident, 24 inmates at the Makala Prison in Kinshasa's capital were gunned down, while numerous others suffered from suffocation or were crushed underfoot, as disclosed by Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani on the X platform.
Allegedly, several female prisoners were sexually assaulted during the chaos that transpired overnight on Monday, Shabani further mentioned. Additionally, at least 59 individuals sustained injuries. Authorities were able to reestablish order and control the situation.
Shabani stated that the death toll is a preliminary figure and that investigations are currently underway. The minister also highlighted substantial property damage. The administrative buildings, infirmary, registry office, and food storage facility of the prison were completely reduced to ashes. An emergency meeting was convened by the security forces on Tuesday to deliberate on additional actions.
Prison breakouts are relatively common in the violence-plagued central African nation, with hundreds of inmates often breaking free simultaneously.
The prison breakout can be linked to an escalation of crime in the area, as it's not uncommon for such incidents to occur in the violence-plagued Democratic Republic of the Congo. The investigation into the incident may reveal further details about the role of criminal elements in the failed prison breakout.
