At least 129 killed during mass prison break attempt in DR Congo

In a tragic incident at the Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, at least 129 people have been killed following a large-scale attempted prison break. The event occurred early on Monday morning, around 2 a.m. local time (9 p.m. ET), and has been marked as one of the deadliest prison break attempts in the country’s history.

Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani Lukoo Bihango provided an update, revealing that the provisional death toll includes 24 individuals who were killed by gunfire after security forces issued warnings. The remaining fatalities resulted from a chaotic scramble, suffocation, and assaults, with some women also reported to have been raped. Additionally, 59 people are currently receiving medical treatment for their injuries.

Eyewitness Daddi Soso reported to Agence France-Presse that the prison break was accompanied by several hours of gunfire. Soso also mentioned seeing security vehicles removing bodies from the scene. Graphic videos circulating on social media. depict numerous bloodied corpses and significant damage to the prison infrastructure. The footage reveals extensive destruction, including a large hole in an exterior wall, charred and burnt structures, and rooms inside the prison left in disarray with debris and burnt furniture.

The Interior Minister detailed that several buildings within the prison, such as the offices, registry, infirmary, and food storage areas, were severely damaged by fires that broke out during the escape attempt. Following the incident, Bihango convened a crisis meeting with the country’s defense and security services to address the situation and manage the aftermath.

The government has expressed relief that order has been somewhat restored, though investigations into the jailbreak continue. Prior to the incident, Makala Central Prison housed over 12,000 inmates, despite being designed to accommodate only 1,500, according to Amnesty International.

Prison escapes are unfortunately not uncommon in the DRC. In 2017, a similar incident saw more than 50 inmates, including a religious sect leader, escape from Makala prison after a group invasion. In 2020, a rebel faction with links to ISIS orchestrated a breakout from a prison in Beni, northeastern DRC, freeing nearly 1,000 inmates and resulting in the deaths of at least 11 individuals, including security personnel. The following year, another prison break occurred at Matadi, one of the country’s oldest correctional facilities, where 189 prisoners escaped. Additionally, in 2022, over 200 detainees managed to flee from the same prison after seizing weapons from its armory.

The recurring issue of prison breaks highlights significant challenges within the DRC’s correctional system, including overcrowding and security vulnerabilities. As the investigations into the latest jailbreak continue, there are calls for urgent reforms to address these systemic issues and prevent future occurrences of such devastating events.