This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20267735

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
'Thirteen killed' in clashes at Sri Lanka's Welikada prison Sri Lanka's Welikada prison clash leaves 27 dead
(about 11 hours later)
At least 13 people have died in clashes between inmates and guards at Sri Lanka's Welikada prison in the capital Colombo, hospital officials say. At least 27 people have died in clashes between inmates and guards at Sri Lanka's Welikada prison in the capital Colombo, authorities say.
The violence was sparked when police commandos attempted to conduct a search at the prison. The violence started when police commandos attempted to search at the prison for illegal items.
There are reports of ongoing gunfire, and that inmates have seized weapons. The army has been called in and surrounding roads are closed. Gunfire then erupted, with guards firing on prisoners who tried to escape, the BBC's Charles Haviland reports from Colombo.
Dozens were injured. Most of the casualties were inmates.
Prison authorities say the situation is now under control, but a government minister said a search for escaped prisoners was under way.
Up to 4,000 inmates are held in the jail, which has seen violence before.Up to 4,000 inmates are held in the jail, which has seen violence before.
In January 25 prisoners and four guards were wounded when clashes erupted, and in 2010 more than 50 police and prison guards were wounded during a raid to seize mobile phones. Weapons seized
Like other Sri Lankan jails, Welikada prison suffers from severe overcrowding.Like other Sri Lankan jails, Welikada prison suffers from severe overcrowding.
There are hundreds of prisoners are on death row there. They were handcuffed by the police's Special Task Force during the search, just a few days after the government said hanging would soon resume after a 36-year break.There are hundreds of prisoners are on death row there. They were handcuffed by the police's Special Task Force during the search, just a few days after the government said hanging would soon resume after a 36-year break.
Friday's violence does not seem to have been ethnically related. There are Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim inmates. Friday's violence does not seem to have been ethnic in nature. There are Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim inmates.
But in the past there have been racist killings, most notoriously in July 1983 when 53 Tamil prisoners were massacred during broader anti-Tamil pogroms.But in the past there have been racist killings, most notoriously in July 1983 when 53 Tamil prisoners were massacred during broader anti-Tamil pogroms.
The director of the National Hospital in Colombo Anil Jasinghe said that 13 people, at least 11 of them prison inmates, had been killed in this latest violence. The director of the national hospital said the bodies of 16 people killed in the clashes were brought there overnight.
Some had died attempting to escape the jail including several who appeared to have been shot while attempting a getaway on a motorised rickshaw, the Associated Press news agency reports. The commissioner-general of prisons told the BBC that bodies of 11 more victims - all inmates - were inside the Welikada jail.
A further 32 injured people have been brought into the hospital, Mr Jasinghe told news agency AFP, with six in a critical condition. Among 43 others injured were 23 prisoners, 13 police commandos, four soldiers and at least one member of prison staff, the hospital director said. Five were put in intensive care.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo said it is not clear how many more people may have died inside the jail.
Some 30 people, including a senior police officer, were injured, and inmates are reported to be holding prison staff hostage.
Inmates were later seen waving rifles from the roof of a prison building. But a senior advisor to the prison ministry told BBC Sinhala that the situation was under control.
A prisoner who was in the jail at the time told the BBC Sinhala's Saroj Pathirana that clashes broke out when police commandos entered the jail, taking prisoners out of their cells and handcuffing them.A prisoner who was in the jail at the time told the BBC Sinhala's Saroj Pathirana that clashes broke out when police commandos entered the jail, taking prisoners out of their cells and handcuffing them.
Some reports say the police may have been searching for drugs and smuggled mobile phones.Some reports say the police may have been searching for drugs and smuggled mobile phones.
The prisoner told our correspondent that inmates seized weapons from the prison's weapon store during the confrontation.The prisoner told our correspondent that inmates seized weapons from the prison's weapon store during the confrontation.
Inmates were later seen waving rifles from the roof of a prison building.
The army was called in and surrounding roads were closed.
In January 25 prisoners and four guards were wounded when clashes erupted at Welikada, and in 2010 more than 50 police and prison guards were wounded during a raid to seize mobile phones.