Mozambique is experiencing escalating civil unrest linked to October’s disputed election, which extended long-ruling party Frelimo’s stay in power. Opposition groups and their supporters claim the vote was rigged.

More than 6,000 prisoners escaped from a prison near Maputo on Wednesday, taking advantage of the third day of unrest triggered by the controversial confirmation of the long-ruling Frelimo party as the winner of recent elections.

The death toll inflicted by Mozambique’s post-election unrest has climbed to 261, according to a local monitoring group, with most of the fatalities caused by police gunfire.