Sri Lanka prison clashes leave dozens dead

At least 25 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a prison clash in Negombo, Sri Lanka, officials confirmed on Monday.

They said that the clash originally began on Sunday, between convicted criminals residing in the prison and those in detention awaiting the next steps of the judicial process. It was not immediately clear what had sparked the fight, nor whether any security personnel were amongst the dead or injured.

Military on site to assist

The Sri Lankan military told Reuters news agency it was on "standby," outside the jail on Monday, ready to assist local law enforcement if needed.

Local media showed footage of injured inmates being brought out to buses that then left for local hospitals.

Negombo is a coastal city of about 137,000 people about 35 km (20 miles) north of Colombo.

Sri Lankan prisons are known to be stretched to the breaking point, with 39,000 inmates being housed in a system designed to hold only 10,000.

Edited by: Kieran Burke

Don't let the algorithm hide the news. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google by clicking here and hitting the "star" or "preferred" button , so you'll always see our verified news first.