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.

Thirty-three inmates were killed and 15 others sustained injuries during a violent clash with the prison's security forces.

Around 125 people have been killed in three days of violent clashes across Mozambique amid opposition-led protests over the presidential election results, a non-governmental organisation said Thursday.

The prisoners took advantage of ongoing political unrest triggered by disputed poll results, police say.

A prison riot in Mozambique's capital Maputo left 33 people dead and 15 injured, the country's police general commander Bernardino Rafael said on Wednesday, as civil unrest linked to October's disputed election continues.

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.

Mozambique’s police chief has said that at least 6,000 inmates have escaped from a high-security prison in the capital on Christmas Day after a rebellion, as widespread post-election riots and violence continue to engulf the country.