Ugandan military kills five prison escapees, captures two after massive jailbreak

The Ugandan military announced on Saturday that it has killed five prisoners and recaptured two others in an ongoing manhunt of 219 inmates who had escaped in a massive jailbreak in the northeastern district of Moroto.

Brig. Flavia Byekwaso, Uganda’s military spokeswoman, told Xinhua that the Uganda People’s Defense Forces on Friday afternoon exchanged fire with a group of inmates who had escaped from the Singila prison on Wednesday afternoon.

“Our troops had some contact with these escapees. There was a fire exchange. In this exchange, five escapees were put out of action and two recaptured,” said Byekwaso.

“There is one who was injured but managed to run away with a heavy injury. The pursuit is on to rearrest these escapees and recover the weapons,” she said.

The death of the five prisoners, mainly traditional Karimojong warriors and cattle rustlers, brings the total number of those killed to eight. So far, nine others have been detained as the manhunt continues, according to security forces.

A senior military officer was also killed in an exchange of fire at the prison on the foothills of Mount Moroto.

The military said Friday that it had deployed additional troops to beef up the manhunt for the prisoners, a majority of which were sentenced over illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

The inmates broke into a prison armory, taking a total of 15 guns and several rounds of ammunition before overpowering a prison warden on duty.

In March, at least three prisoners were killed and six others injured when the inmates attempted to escape in the northwestern district of Arua.