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A botched escape attempt at Kinshasa’s Makala Prison, the largest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Monday resulted in the deaths of at least 129 people.
The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of Monday morning, creating a scene of chaos and confusion that left dozens dead and many others injured.
Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani confirmed that 24 of the deceased were prisoners who succumbed to bullet wounds after security forces fired warning shots to quell the breakout. Most of the remaining fatalities were attributed to suffocation, as a desperate crush formed during the escape attempt.
Initial reports of mass casualties surfaced Monday, but the government had initially downplayed the scale of the tragedy, reporting only two deaths. The full extent of the loss of life emerged later.
Residents living near Makala Prison reported hearing gunfire beginning in the early hours. “There were gunshots from around 1 a.m. until 5 a.m.,” said Daddi Soso, a local resident, in an interview with the AFP news agency. “There were deaths, and some people fled,” he added, noting that security forces were seen removing bodies from the scene.
Journalists attempting to report from the area were blocked by police, preventing independent confirmation of events. However, disturbing videos circulating on social media showed bodies lying lifeless on the ground inside the prison and desperate inmates shouting for help amidst the crush. The videos have not been independently verified.
Around 24 hours after the attempted breakout, Minister Shabani took to X to acknowledge the full scale of the incident, confirming the death toll and revealing that nearly 60 others were severely injured and had been taken to hospital.
“This is an opportunity to commend all the security services, the national police, and the army, who responded quickly and were able to contain the situation, preventing the escape,” Shabani stated. However, he also noted the damages, including the fire that destroyed the prison’s administration and registry offices, saying these were “urgent situations” being addressed.
Rights groups have called for an international investigation to determine what happened at Makala Prison.
Footage from the aftermath revealed a grim scene: a gaping hole in the prison’s brick wall, charred buildings, firemen working amid the debris, and documents scattered across an office floor.
Built in the 1950s, Makala Prison was designed to hold 1,500 inmates, but over 14,000 were reportedly crammed into its overcrowded cells. The prison’s harsh conditions have long been criticized.
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