More than 120 prisoners killed during failed jailbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo
At least 129 people have been killed during an attempted prison escape in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
An initial assessment shows 24 inmates died when “warning” gunshots were fired at Makala Central Prison, in the capital Kinshasa, according to Congo’s interior minister, Jacquemin Shabani.
He said most of those who died were killed in a stampede during the attempted jailbreak, adding: “There are also 59 injured people taken into care by the government, as well as some cases of women raped.”
He confirmed that order has now been restored at the prison, and no one had succeeded in escaping.
Footage, reportedly from the site, shows bodies lying on the ground and inmates loading the dead into a vehicle.
Police officers outside Makala prison in Kinshasa. Pic: AP
Local people gathered outside the prison as security guarded the perimeter. Pic: AP
The breakout occurred around 2am (also 2am UK time) on Monday with residents hearing heavy gunfire from the jail.
Part of the site was also damaged by fire in the attack.
The attempted escape was plotted from inside the prison by inmates in one of the wings, Mbemba Kabuya, the deputy justice minister told local radio station, Top Congo FM.
In the hours that followed the attack, the road to the prison was cordoned off while authorities convened a panel to investigate the incident.
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Makala – among other prisons in Congo – is massively overcrowded according to Amnesty International.
In July 2024, inmates were released at Makala Central Prison to reduce overcrowding. File pic: Reuters
Inside the overcrowded Makala Central Prison. File pic: Reuters
The human rights group says the country’s largest jail has a capacity for 1,500 people, but holds over 12,000 inmates who are mostly awaiting trial.
Scores of inmates have been released this year as part of efforts to reduce the prison population.
The facility has recorded previous jailbreaks, including in 2017 when an attack by a religious sect freed dozens.
Justice minister Constant Mutamba called the attack a “premeditated act of sabotage,” adding those who “instigated these acts of sabotage… will receive a stern response”.
He also announced a ban on the transfer of inmates from the prison and said authorities will build a new jail, among other efforts to reduce overcrowding.
“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.
The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.
The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.
“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.
“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.
“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”
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Elon Musk speaking at an event held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Pic: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.
“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.
“What a great deal!”
When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
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The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
Read more from Sky News:
Mass displacement in Gaza – people unsure where to go
Donald Trump picks vaccine sceptic as health secretary
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
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