Uganda police hunt 200 escaped inmates after jailbreak

KAMPALA: A manhunt is underway in Uganda after 200 inmates overpowered their guards and escaped with weapons in a blaze of gunfire that left four people dead, a prison spokesman said on Thursday.

The prisoners seized guns from the armoury at a government prison in Moroto, a remote region 460 kilometres (286 miles) from Kampala, before dashing for the cover of nearby mountains with police, soldiers and helicopters in pursuit. Prison spokesman Frank Baine said three inmates and a soldier were killed in a shootout as roughly 200 escapees fled toward Mount Moroto, some half-naked after shedding their bright yellow prison-regulation jumpsuits.