Deadly prison break in Chad as over 100 inmates escape
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A revolt broke out late Friday at the high-security jail five kilometers (three miles) from Mongo town.
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Pardoned rebels are seen guarded by Chadian soldiers following their release from the Klessoum prison in Ndjamena on April 5, 2023 (AFP)
More than 100 convicts escaped from a Chad jail amid a shootout that killed three people and injured a state governor who was visiting the facility, officials told AFP on Saturday.
A revolt broke out late Friday at the high-security jail five kilometers (three miles) from Mongo town.
"There are around 100 who escaped, three dead and three wounded," said Hassan Souleymane Adam, secretary general of Guera province, which includes Mongo.
A local Mongo official, commenting on the condition of anonymity, told AFP that convicts stormed into a manager's office to steal guns.
"A shootout with guards ensued, at the same time the governor arrived. He was wounded," the official commented.
The Mongo official acknowledged three deaths and estimated the overall number of escaped convicts at 132.
He claimed the convicts revolted after complaining about a lack of food.
Youssouf Tom, Chad's Justice Minister, told AFP via phone that he was preparing to fly to the region and would be ready to provide "precise information once I am at Mongo in the coming hours."
