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Hostages Taken at Colombia Jail

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<i> Reuters</i>

Hundreds of prisoners rioted in a jail in southwestern Colombia on Sunday and took at least 585 visitors, mostly women, hostage, a police official said.

Police officers and army troops surrounded the San Isidro jail in the city of Popayan, capital of Cauca province, but were ordered not to force their way in, a police spokesman said.

“There were originally 585 hostages, most of them the wives of the prisoners, but the inmates allowed a pregnant and an elderly woman to leave with a child and then released 15 others,” Police Chief Col. Holman Alvarez said.

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Prison Director Sandra Vasquez said the men want better health care.

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