By Enyichukwu Enemanna
No fewer than 14 persons have been killed while 24 inmates are on the run following an attack by gunmen on a Mexican prison in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez.
The attackers arrived at the prison in several armoured vehicles at 7am local time (14:00 GMT) and opened fire on guards, the Chihuahua state prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Sunday.
In the chaos that ensued, 10 prison guards and four inmates were killed while at least 13 people were wounded, the state prosecutor said.
Details of the circumstances that led to the escape of the 24 inmates was not available and it was not immediately clear who carried out the attack.
According to local media report, inside the detention facility, some rioting inmates set fire to various objects and clashed with prison guards,
The state prosecutor’s office said Mexican soldiers and state police regained control of the prison later on Sunday.
The office said at least four persons were detained but did not provide details whether they were inmates or armed attackers.
The state prosecutor’s office said its personnel have launched an investigation.
Violence is frequent in Mexican prisons, including a few where authorities only maintain nominal control.
Clashes regularly erupt among inmates of rival gangs, which in places like Ciudad Juarez serve as proxies for drug cartels.
The city sits across the United States border town of El Paso, Texas.
