Another Ecuador prison clash leaves 43 inmates dead

Officials in Ecuador say a clash between rival gangs  has left 43 inmates dead

QUITO, Ecuador -- A clash between rival Ecuadorian gangs killed 43 inmates, officials said Monday, little more than a month after another prison riot resulted in 20 deaths.

Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo said at a news conference that one group of inmates left their cells to attack another inside the Bellavista lockup in Santo Domingo, some 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Quito, the capital.

“It's evident that those who lost their lives were executed by knives; most of the bodies had those characteristics,” he said, and offered relatives help in transporting the bodies to their hometowns.

The minister said firearms, explosives and other weapons were found after police assault teams helped retake control of the prison.