An incident at a correctional facility in southern Ecuador has resulted in the deaths of 31 inmates. Among the deceased, 27 individuals were discovered to have been hanged.
The event commenced early on Sunday morning at El Oro prison, situated in the city of Machala. Initial reports indicated that four prisoners died and over 30 sustained injuries during clashes between rival gang members.
Following these initial altercations, security personnel at the facility located the additional deceased inmates on the third floor of the building.
Ecuador's prison system has a history of overcrowding, which has been associated with multiple deadly riots and gang-related conflicts in recent years, leading to a high number of inmate fatalities.