25 killed in clashes between rival gangs at Brazilian jail
Violent clashes have broken out between two rival gangs at a prison in northern Brazil, leaving at least 25 inmates dead.
Local media, citing police sources, reported on Sunday that the violence began when inmates of one wing broke into another wing of the Agricola de Monte Cristo prison in Boa Vista, the capital city of Roraima State.
Several of the prisoners were decapitated and burned to death by rival inmates wielding knives and bats, according to the reports.
Roraima State Secretary of Justice Uziel Castro said that the fight erupted during family visiting hours, and that some 100 relatives of inmates were briefly held hostage by the rioters.
The rioting prisoners demanded that a judge be sent to the prison to hear their demands.
Prison officials, however, contained the situation by deploying Special Operations Police to the prison, who freed the hostages and regained control of the facility.
“All the hostages were released,” Castro said, adding that most of them were women.
The prison, some 3,400 kilometers northwest of Rio de Janeiro, is located near the Venezuelan border.
Prisoner-on-prisoner killings are widespread in Brazilian jails where rival gangs fight for territory at overcrowded facilities.
Brazil has the fourth largest prison population in the world behind Russia, China and the United States
G20 leaders call for ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon as their support for Israel blasted
Brazilian journo fined, ordered to delete posts over criticizing Gaza onslaught
Putin: BRICS, not the West, will drive global economic prosperity
‘Extremely critical’ to avoid Syria being dragged into war: UN evnoy
What led to dilly-dallying in ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant
Palestinians flee Gaza City suburb after Israel issues forced evacuation order
Iran says will discuss key nuclear, regional issues with France, Germany, UK
VIDEO | Israeli archaeologist killed in Southern Lebanon
VIDEO | Israeli airstrike on Lebanon's army base kills soldier, injures 18 others
VIDEO | Sirens sound across Tel Aviv as Hezbollah fires barrage of missiles at Israeli target
Israeli ‘archeologist’ who toured south Lebanon in military uniform to falsify history
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
