9 killed as inmates battle at Brazilian prison

BRASILIA - Nine inmates were killed and their bodies were set on fire after a riot in a prison in Brazil's central state of Goias on Monday, local authorities said.

Military Police Commander Divino Alves told local media the melee broke out on Monday afternoon between members of rival gangs being held in the prison in Aparecida de Goiania, the second-largest city in the state, and it took officials nearly two hours to restore order.

The Executive Superintendent of Prison Management said in a statement that inmates in section C of the prison invaded section B, and started a fire.

Firefighters were called in to battle the flames, and smoke could be seen rising from the facility.

Authorities confirmed the number of dead, but said identifications had not yet been made.

Another 14 inmates were injured in the fighting and they returned to their cells after receiving emergency treatment, Brazil's G1 news website said.

Media said 106 inmates escaped during the riot, and officials had recaptured 29. The reports said 127 other inmates fled during the violence but returned voluntarily.

Officers from the Special Penitentiary Operations Group regained control of the prison with the support of military police about two hours after the riot started.

Prison riots are fairly common in Brazil, where the overcrowding of prisons is a pervasive problem.

Exactly one year ago, a prison riot at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex in Amazonas state resulted in 56 deaths. A day later, four prisoners were killed at the Puraqueuqara Prison Unit in the same state. Thirty-three more inmates died on Jan 6 in a riot at a prison in Roraima state, and 26 were killed on Jan 14 when inmates rebelled at Alcacuz prison in Rio Grande do Norte.

Xinhua - AP

(China Daily 01/03/2018 page12)