Hundreds of prisoners escape after armed group attacks east Congo facility

BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Hundreds of prison inmates in the eastern Congolese city of Butembo have escaped after the facility was attacked by an armed group overnight, local authorities said on Tuesday.

Two police officers were killed and part of the prison was damaged by a fire during the attack by Mai-Mai militiamen, said Antony Mwalushayi, a spokesperson for the army's operations against armed groups in Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu province.