Deadly clashes at Ecuador’s Litoral Penitentiary kill 15 inmates

KATHMANDU: At least 15 inmates were killed and 14 others wounded in violent clashes at Ecuador’s largest prison, the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, early Tuesday morning.

The national prison administration agency SNAI reported that the violence erupted in a prison wing, and the security forces, including police and armed forces, swiftly took control of the situation.

A large-scale search operation was initiated, and an investigation into the deadly incident is underway.

The Litoral Penitentiary has been the site of frequent violent confrontations between inmates linked to organized crime and drug trafficking groups.

Since Feb 2021, over 400 inmates have lost their lives in such clashes, according to official data.

-Agency