Sources from within the Sebha Security Directorate confirmed that one of the convicts who had escaped was killed. Five other convicts accused of murder and theft managed to escape from the Mahdia prison in Sebha.
According to the sources, this came as a result of a security breach and in cooperation with individuals outside the prison.
They pointed out that the riots that took place in the prison on Saturday, started by throwing a homemade bomb from outside the prison. They added that a part of the outer wall of the prison, which is considered old and destroyed, has fallen.
For his part, Libyan Judicial Police Spokesperson, Ahmed Boukraa, said that a number of prisoners were transferred to the central prison in Ain Zara. He added that it is scheduled to transfer the rest ofthe prisoners due to the lack of rehabilitation at rehabilitation of Mahdia prison.
Boukraa noted that the number of prisoners who were transferred to Ain Zara central prison included prisoners sentenced to death and life imprisonment.
The directorate published pictures and general information about the escaped prisoners in an attempt to re-arrest them again.
Last month, the Interior Ministry of Government of National Unity (GNU) reported that the Tawila Police Station of the Sabratha Security Directorate managed to arrest nine fugitives from the Mellitah Correctional and Rehabilitation Institution.
The Ministry indicated that the fugitives were arrested and returned to the same prison, and a list of fugitives’ names was circulated to all security checkpoints.
Judicial Police Spokesperson, Ahmed Boukraa, revealed that 60 prisoners were arrested and returned to prison.
Boukraa said in press statements that the escape took place following a rebellion in the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution in Mellitah, which led to the death of a policeman and the escape of nearly 170 prisoners.
He pointed out that some of the escaped prisoners surrendered voluntarily, and some were arrested, stressing that they are still within the administrative borders of the region.