Amid unrest in the country, over 1,500 prisoners escaped from a Maputo prison on Wednesday. Sparked by the controversial confirmation of the long-ruling Frelimo party as the winner of recent elections, tensions prevailed in various parts of the country. 
Bernardino Rafael, the national police chief, said a total of 1,534 prisoners escaped the high-security prison located about 15km from the capital.
He also informed that 33 inmates were killed and 15 were wounded in clashes with prison staff. 
A search operation, backed by the army, led to the arrest of about 150 fugitives.
&ldquo;Around 30 of the prisoners were linked to armed groups that have been behind unrest and attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado for the past seven years.
&ldquo;We are particularly concerned about this situation,&rdquo; Rafael said.
The African nation&rsquo;s highest court had confirmed Frelimo&rsquo;s ascend to power after the presidential election.
Frelimo, who has been in power since 1975, won 65.17% of the vote, about five points less than the initial results declared by the country&rsquo;s electoral commission.
Mozambique&rsquo;s Interior Minister, Pascoal Ronda, blamed supporters of losing presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane for starting the violence.
While Rafael blamed protests outside the prison for encouraging the riot, Justice Minister Helena Kida told local broadcaster Miramar TV that the unrest started inside the prison and had nothing to do with the protests outside.
He said there were jailbreak attempts at two other prisons. &ldquo;We are worried as a country, Mozambicans and security forces,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We expect in the next 48 hours a rise in crime.&rdquo;
The prison riots began a day after 21 people were killed in the unrest that ensued after the judiciary confirmed the victory of presidential candidate Daniel Chapo on Monday.
Photos and video circulating on social media showed protesters burning and looting shops in the capital and the city of Beira, where some local officials were reported to have fled.
Some demonstrators set up tables in the streets to occupy the space while celebrating Christmas, AFP news agency reported.
Mondlane even called for a &ldquo;shutdown&rdquo; beginning Friday even as the situation in the capital remained tense.
Mozambique, a nation of 34 million people, has been on edge since its October 9 general election. Mondlane&rsquo;s supporters, mostly young people, have been taking to the streets since the election, only to be met with gunfire by security forces.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean President and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson Emmerson Mnangagwa welcomed a court ruling that proclaimed Daniel Chapo the winner of the October 9 general elections of Mozambique. 
&ldquo;The ruling by that country&rsquo;s top electoral court, which upheld Frelimo party&rsquo;s victory, completes and thus exhausts all lawful processes on determining election results, in line with that country&rsquo;s national laws, and in keeping with SADC&rsquo;s Election Guidelines and expectations,&rdquo; Mnangagwa said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said SADC expects all parties to the electoral process to abide by the decision of the Constitutional Council of Mozambique, noting that the ruling should provide a constitutional way forward for the country and facilitate greater peace, normalcy, and stability in the southern African country, Xinhua news agency reported.
&ldquo;SADC stands ready to assist the incoming government and the people of Mozambique, in consolidating their electoral democracy on the basis of the aforesaid Court decision which should be held sacrosanct by all,&rdquo; Mnangagwa said.
Mnangagwa also urged the international community to respect the sovereign will of the people and the Republic of Mozambique and encouraged constructive support towards peace, law, and order by all those concerned.

Protestors in Mozambique’s capital city Maputo

Unrest in Mozambique due to Frelimo victory; 33 killed, 15 wounded in clashes with prison staff

1.5K Inmates Escape Maputo Prison Amid Unrest

Unrest in Mozambique due to Frelimo victory; 33 killed, 15 wounded in clashes with prison staff

December 26, 2024 | 19:42 IST