Daily US Times: Ecuador jail fight death toll reached 116, making it the worst prison violence in the country’s history. The deadly fight was between rival gangs in Ecuador’s jail, officials say.
At least five prisoners were decapitated in Tuesday’s fights in the city of Guayaquil, while others were shot dead.
Fausto Buenaño, the Police commander, says the prisoners also threw grenades.
It took 400 police to regain control of the jail, which houses inmates linked to global drug gangs.
According to local media report, the uprising was ordered by powerful Mexican drug trafficking gangs that are now operating in Ecuador.
Bolivar Garzon, Ecuador’s prisons service director, told local radio the situation was “terrible”.
He said: “Yesterday, police took control at 1400 [local time], but last night there were other shootings, other things, explosions and today in the morning we took total control, we are entering the pavilions where there was conflict and discovering more bodies.”
Tuesday’s fighting is the latest in a series of deadly incidents involving rival gang members fighting for control of prisons. In February this year, 79 prisoners were killed in simultaneous fights.
The Litoral Penitentiary, where the latest deadly clashes took place on Tuesday night, is considered one of the most dangerous in the country.
Mr Buenaño said that prisoners from one wing of the prison had crawled through a hole to gain access to a different wing, where they attacked rival gang members.
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