Guatemalan jail gang riot leaves 17 dead

At least 17 inmates have died after a riot allegedly broke out between rival incarcerated gangs in a prison in Guatemala's southern department of Escuintla, announced the Central American country's Public Prosecutor's Office on Monday.

A spokesperson for the jail, Rudy Esquivel, told journalists that an investigation into the causes behind what happened on Sunday afternoon is ongoing. However, Esquivel confirmed that no inmate escaped the prison.

Security forces have re-taken control of the jail located around 75 kilometres south of the capital city of Guatemala City, according to Esquivel.

Authorities from the prison informed local media the riot occurred when inmates who do not belong to a gang decided to face inmates who supposedly belong to the Mara 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs. The non-gang members accused gang members of extorting visitors.

Local daily Prensa Libre reported that authorities thought the riot could have also been an escape attempt that was intercepted by guards.

According to reports, at least seven prisoners were decapitated while others were injured or killed by fire arms and knives.

The gangs are the reason behind the majority of violence and extortion that goes on daily in the Central American country.

Guatemala's penitentiary system is in charge of 22 prisons where 4,000 guards watch over 19,000 prisoners.

The jail in Escuintla has the capacity for 600 inmates but at the time of the riot, it was housing 2,092 prisoners, according to Esquivel. Enditem