Sri Lanka prison riot death toll rises to 27: Minister
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Sri Lankan hospital workers carry a victim of clashes between elite police Special Task Force and inmates on a stretcher at the main hospital in Colombo on Nov 10, 2012.The number of people killed in Sri Lanka's worst prison riot in nearly three decades rose to 16 while another 43 escaped with injuries, officials said on Saturday. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A Sri Lankan hospital worker stands next to a stretcher with a body of a victim of clashes between elite police Special Task Force and inmates, at the main hospital, in Colombo on Nov 10, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Sri Lankan inmates display guns, throw stones and shout slogans from a roof of a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Sri Lankan inmates shout from a roof of a prison building as prison guards assist an injured colleague, foreground right, outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Sri Lankan inmates shout from a roof of a prison building as prison guards carry an injured colleague, foreground right, outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard near the main prison in Colombo on Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Sri Lankan prison inmates lie on a road after being shot following a escape attempt outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Fridayday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Sri Lankan inmates try to escape by piling into a three-wheeler as gunshots hit the vehicle outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard near the main prison in Colombo on Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Sri Lankan soldiers wait outside Colombo's main prison on Nov 9, 2012. Sri Lanka's military was called in to quell the worst prison riot in nearly three decades that left at least 16 people dead and 43 wounded, officials said on Saturday. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Sri Lankan inmates shout from a roof of a prison building as prison guards assist an injured colleague, foreground right, outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Rioting prisoners fire weapons and cheer from a roof during clashes with Sri Lanka's Special Task Force (STF) at Welikada prison in Colombo on Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Sri Lankan hospital workers carry a victim of clashes between elite police Special Task Force and inmates on a stretcher at the main hospital in Colombo on Nov 10, 2012.The number of people killed in Sri Lanka's worst prison riot in nearly three decades rose to 16 while another 43 escaped with injuries, officials said on Saturday. -- PHOTO: AFP
A Sri Lankan hospital worker stands next to a stretcher with a body of a victim of clashes between elite police Special Task Force and inmates, at the main hospital, in Colombo on Nov 10, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Sri Lankan inmates display guns, throw stones and shout slogans from a roof of a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Sri Lankan inmates shout from a roof of a prison building as prison guards assist an injured colleague, foreground right, outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Sri Lankan inmates shout from a roof of a prison building as prison guards carry an injured colleague, foreground right, outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard near the main prison in Colombo on Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Sri Lankan prison inmates lie on a road after being shot following a escape attempt outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Fridayday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Sri Lankan inmates try to escape by piling into a three-wheeler as gunshots hit the vehicle outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard near the main prison in Colombo on Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Sri Lankan soldiers wait outside Colombo's main prison on Nov 9, 2012. Sri Lanka's military was called in to quell the worst prison riot in nearly three decades that left at least 16 people dead and 43 wounded, officials said on Saturday. -- PHOTO: AFP
Sri Lankan inmates shout from a roof of a prison building as prison guards assist an injured colleague, foreground right, outside a prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Friday, Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Rioting prisoners fire weapons and cheer from a roof during clashes with Sri Lanka's Special Task Force (STF) at Welikada prison in Colombo on Nov 9, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
COLOMBO (AFP) - The number of people killed in Sri Lanka's worst prison riot in nearly three decades rose to 27, while another 43 escaped with injuries.
"Sixteen bodies are at the hospital and another 11 were found in the prison today," Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said in a special statement to the legislature. "I have appointed a three-member committee to investigate the incident."
The minister said rioting inmates had seized 82 guns, including automatic assault rifles, from a prison armoury they broke into, but the authorities were able to recover most of them.
"A search is on for five weapons which are still missing," the minister said.
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