MAPUTO - More than 1,500 prisoners escaped from a Maputo prison on Wednesday, taking advantage of the third day of unrest triggered by the controversial confirmation of the long-ruling Frelimo party as the winner of recent elections.
A total of 1,534 detainees escaped the high-security prison located about 15 kilometres from the capital, said national police chief Bernardino Rafael at a press conference.
Among those attempting to escape, 33 were killed and 15 wounded in clashes with prison staff, he added.
A search operation, backed by the army, led to the arrest of about 150 fugitives, he said.
Around 30 of the prisoners were linked to armed groups that have been behind unrest and attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado for the past seven years.
"We are particularly concerned about this situation," Rafael said.
On Wednesday, groups of protesters had approached the penitentiary, creating confusion and triggering unrest inside the prison, where inmates ended up knocking down a wall through which they escaped, he explained.
Barricades remained erected in several areas of the capital, limiting movements, as acts of vandalism continued.