More than 120 people were killed during an attempted mass breakout from Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, DRC, amid ongoing attacks on the country’s prisons.

The incident occurred early Monday morning, involving gunfire and fires that destroyed several prison buildings.

Most deaths resulted from suffocation, jostling, and gunfire. Over 12,000 inmates were held in the overcrowded facility, built for 1,500.

The DRC government has launched investigations, and the Justice Minister has barred inmate transfers to the prison, CNN has reported.

Prison breaks are common in the DRC, with multiple violent incidents in recent years.

Written by B.C. Begley