Thirteen inmates and one prison guard have been killed in clashes at a jail in Machala, Ecuador. Fourteen others, including two police officers, were injured.
Police said the violence broke out early Monday when members of the Los Lobos Box gang attacked rivals inside the prison. Explosions and gunfire were heard by residents living nearby.
According to preliminary reports, inmates took security personnel hostage after raising a false alarm. One guard was killed. Gang members then stormed a rival wing, triggering a deadly confrontation.
Some prisoners escaped after setting off an explosive device that blew a hole in the perimeter wall. Police chief William Calle confirmed 13 escapees had been recaptured, though the total number who fled remains unclear.
Authorities deployed 200 police and soldiers to regain control of the prison.
Local station Ecuavisa reported that Machala residents have long demanded the relocation of the jail, which sits in the middle of the city.
Ecuador has faced a surge in gang violence, with prison groups forming alliances with Mexican cartels to traffic cocaine through its ports.
Earlier this month, the United States designated Los Lobos and Los Choneros as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, citing their use of terror tactics to control drug routes.
