Sri Lankan prison riot in Negombo leaves at least 19 dead

At least 19 people were killed and more than 50 others injured following unrest at a detention facility in the western Sri Lankan city of Negombo, police said.

Those injured were taken to Negombo Hospital, while authorities were preparing to transfer critical cases to the National Hospital in Colombo for further treatment, Caliber.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

According to officials, the incident first broke out on Sunday, July 5, around 1 p.m., when two groups of inmates clashed inside the facility. The situation was initially brought under control later that same evening, but violence resumed on the morning of Monday, July 6.

Prison officers and members of the security forces are among both the dead and the injured.

By Jeyhun Aghazada