27 killed in prison shootout

A shootout between rioting prisoners and security forces at a prison in Sri Lanka's capital killed at least 27 inmates. Police said today that they arrested five prisoners who had managed to escape and were searching for others. Another 42 people were wounded in the shootout yesterday between inmates and army and police commandos that broke out after the rioting prisoners briefly took control of at least part of the Welikada prison in Colombo. The situation at the prison had returned to normal by today. "The prison is now totally under our control," said prison chief PW Kodippili, whose jail was the site of another riot earlier this year. Dr Anil Jasinghe, director of the Colombo National Hospital, said the bodies of 16 inmates were at his hospital. Mr Kodippili said security forces had found the bodies of 11 other inmates inside the prison premises, and that the total number of deaths stood at 27. Twenty-three inmates who were injured in the clash were receiving treatment at the hospital, Dr Jasinghe said. Thirteen police officers, four soldiers, a prison guard and a passer-by also were being treated there for injuries. Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said five...