At least 49 dead in prison riot in Colombia 

Bogota, SANA- At least 49 inmates were killed and dozens more injured early Tuesday after a fire broke out during a prison riot in southwestern Colombia.

“So far, there are 49 dead, and this is a preliminary report,” said General Tito Castellanos, director of the INPEC prison agency,

Castellanos noted that about 30 prisoners were also injured during the riots that broke out at night at the prison in the city of Tulua.

The Colombian official did not give additional details about the circumstances of the riots, which resulted in such a large number of deaths.

Colombia affirmed earlier that it would release thousands of prisoners amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic two years ago after inmates rioted over overcrowding and lack of services.

Manar Salameh/ Ruaa al-Jazaeri