Brasilia, Jan 15 (IANS): At least 10 prisoners were killed in Brazil's fifth prison riot this year, the media reported on Sunday.

Police and military forces were deployed at the Alcacuz prison as a riot broke out between two gangs on Saturday night, the BBC reported.

The wave of prison violence started on January 1 when at least 56 inmates were killed at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex in Manaus.

Victims were decapitated and their bodies thrown over the prison wall.

Sergio Fontes, the Public Safety Secretary for the state of Amazonas, said the riot started over the control of the drug trade in prison.

In another riot, four inmates were killed on January 2 at the Prison Unit of Puraquequara in Manaus.

In the neighbouring Roraima state, 33 persons were killed on January 6 at the Agricultural Penitentiary of Monte Cristo.

On January 8, four prisoners were killed in the Desembargador Raimundo Vidal Pessoa public jail in Manaus.

Prisoners also escaped from other prison units during the unrest.

Jose Carvalho da Silva, the interim director of the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex, was removed on Tuesday after the deadly riot and corruption allegations by two inmates.

Brazilian President Michel Temer and Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes announced the creation of a new National Security Plan to improve the country's prison system.

Brazil has the fourth-largest prison population in the world with more than 622,000 people behind bars, according to the Justice Ministry.