At least 25 people have died and roughly 100 more were injured following clashes between two groups of inmates at a prison in Negombo, Sri Lanka, according to two police sources and a hospital source who spoke to Reuters.
The violence broke out Sunday between convicted prisoners and those held in pre-trial detention at the facility, located about 35 km (20 miles) north of the commercial capital, Colombo. What sparked the fighting remains unclear.
Police said parts of the prison were still being cleared as of Monday, with officials working to confirm the full number of dead and injured. Army spokesman Brigadier Waruna Gamage said the military has been asked to assist police but remained on standby for now.
Footage from Derana TV showed a heavy police presence outside the prison gates as a bus carrying injured inmates, some lying on its floor, left the facility. Other visuals showed prisoners being transferred by bus to another facility following the clashes.
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