Ecuador on Thursday sought to identify the remains of the 116 inmates killed during a riot at one of its largest prisons earlier this week, the latest bout of violence authorities have linked to gangs vying for control of drug trafficking routes, APA reports quoting Reuters.
Dozens of relatives of inmates at the Penitenciaria del Litoral in the country's largest city of Guayaquil gathered outside a morgue seeking information on loved ones, after the deadliest outbreak of prison violence in Ecuador's history on Tuesday in which 80 people were also injured.
Police investigators asked family members for photographs of inmates or details of features like scars or tattoos to help them identify bodies.
Police commander Tannya Varela told reporters that the casualty count could rise, as officers were still investigating. Earlier on Thursday, the national police sent 400 officers to regain control of the detention center. Soldiers also entered the prison to maintain order.
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