More than 1,500 prisoners have escaped from a prison, taking advantage of ongoing political unrest caused by disputed election results, police said in Mozambique.
Police Chief Bernardino Rafael said in a press conference that 33 people were killed and 15 others were injured in clashes with guards.
He added that about 150 other fugitives have been arrested since then.
The protests erupted on Monday in response to Mozambique's highest court this week confirming the victory of the ruling Frelimo party, which has been in power since 1975, in October's presidential elections.
Rafael said groups of anti-government protesters approached the prison in the capital, Maputo, on Wednesday. He added that the prisoners took advantage of the disturbances to demolish a wall and escape.
Mozambique has been experiencing unrest since disputed elections in October. Official results showed the victory of the ruling Frelimo party's candidate for president, Daniel Chapo.
New protests erupted on Monday, when the Constitutional Court ruled that Chapo had won the election, while reducing his margin of victory.
Preliminary results in October showed that Daniel Chapo received 71% of the votes, compared to 20% for his main competitor, Venancio Mondlane. The court has now ruled that he won by 65% to Mundelein's 24%.
A A BBC reporter found Maputo looked like a ghost town on Christmas Eve, with almost all businesses closed and people staying at home to avoid the worst unrest the city has seen since Frelimo first came to power in 1975.
Frelimo offices, police stations, banks and factories have been looted, vandalized and set on fire across the country. The Interior Minister said late Tuesday evening that at least 21 people had been killed since Monday in the unrest.
Mondlane, who has since fled Mozambique, was calling on his supporters to demonstrate against what he said were fraudulent elections.
He said in a social media message at the weekend that there could be a “new popular uprising” if the result was not overturned.
About 150 people have been killed during the three months of protests since the elections.
