At least 25 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in a prison clash in Negombo, Sri Lanka, officials confirmed on Monday.
He said the clashes originally began on Sunday, between convicted criminals living in prison and people awaiting the next stages of the judicial process. It was not immediately clear what sparked the fighting, nor was it known whether any security personnel were among the dead or injured.
Army is on site to assist
The Sri Lankan military told Reuters news agency that it was on “standby” outside the prison on Monday, and was ready to assist local law enforcement if needed.
Local media showed footage of injured prisoners being brought onto buses which then left for local hospitals.
Negombo is a coastal city of about 137,000 people about 35 km (20 mi) north of Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s prisons are believed to be stretched to the extreme, holding 39,000 prisoners in a system designed to hold only 10,000 prisoners.
Edited by: Kieran Burke
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