Dead, wounded as police, prisoners clash in Central Darfur

An unknown number of people were killed and injured in a fire fight that erupted during an escape by inmates from the main prison of Zalingei, capital of Central Darfur, this afternoon.

Multiple witnesses reported to Radio Dabanga from Zalingei this [Tuesday] afternoon that it looked like the prisoners had planned their escape well. “They raided the arms store, before they fled.”

The prison guards and policemen followed them, and during the ensuing clashes, some of the dozens of escaping inmates managed to seize two vehicles mounted with Dushka machineguns. “The shooting cause great panic among the residents of the town,” one of the sources said.

The prisoners then fled to the forest north of Zalingei, where the shooting between the escapees and policemen from Zalingei locality continued.

The sources noted that an as yet unknown number of inmates, policemen, and civilians were killed and wounded.