Maputo, Dec 30 (IANS): Mozambique government has instituted a commission of inquiry to investigate the mass escape of prisoners from two of its penitentiary facilities in the capital Maputo.

The escape involved 1,534 prisoners from the Central Prison and the Maximum Security Prison of Machava, known as B.O., resulting in clashes with the National Penitentiary Service staff, in which at least 33 people were killed, Xinhua news agency reported quoting state news agency AIM.

The commission, which has already started its work, aims to understand the circumstances of the escape, identify possible internal or external failures, and determine whether there was negligence on the part of those responsible for security, the report quoted Deputy Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs Filimao Suaze as saying.

Suaze said the inquiry commission will also analyse the deaths that occurred during the ongoing operation to search for and capture the fugitives.

According to the deputy minister, about 280 prisoners have already been recaptured, more than 100 of them on Friday, thanks to the cooperation of families and reports of escapes in the neighborhoods.

Suaze emphasised that many of the fugitives returned voluntarily or were handed over by their relatives, who reported the escapes after noticing the irregularities.

The deputy minister also denied allegations that the escape was part of a premeditated plan to eliminate the prisoners, as some information on social media suggested. He clarified that the fugitives, some of whom are considered terrorists, are being monitored and that the police are committed to recapturing them.

Suaze called on the public to continue to cooperate with the authorities in locating the escaped prisoners, warning that the situation has caused panic in several neighborhoods in Maputo.

The commission has not set deadlines for completion of its report, but the deputy minister said he expected significant progress in the investigation in the coming days.