No fewer than 129 were feared killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo during an attempted prison break.
Congolese Interior Minister, Jacquemain Shabani, who made this known via his X handle on Tuesday, said authorities shot dead 24 inmates of the Makala prison in the capital Kinshasa, while dozens of others were suffocated or trampled to death.
Shabani said some female prisoners were raped during the chaos on Monday night, adding that at least 59 people were also injured.
According to him, the number of victims is preliminary, stressing that the police and army were able to bring the situation under control.
The minister added that the property damage was considerable. Administrative buildings, the infirmary, and the food depot had been completely burnt down.
Prison breaks are said to be a frequent occurrence in the conflict-torn Central African country, where hundreds of inmates often manage to escape together.