(COLUMBIA, S.C.) — An inmate who witnessed a riot inside a South Carolina prison says he saw bodies stacking up on each other and correctional officers didn’t do anything to stop the violence or check on the injured.

A spokesman for the state’s prisons says seven inmates were killed and at least 17 others were seriously injured as inmates fought uninterrupted for more than seven hours. Officials didn’t immediately say what sparked the violence. No prison guards were hurt.

The prisoner who saw the riot exchanged messages with AP on the condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to have a cellphone and fears retribution from other inmates.

He says most of the inmates are affiliated with gangs and several attackers taunted a rival gang member who was hurt.</s>South Carolina officials are blaming the prison riot that killed seven inmates on a turf war between gangs over territory, money and contraband items like cellphones.

Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said Monday that inmates armed with homemade knives fought each other for seven hours. Most of the slain were stabbed or slashed. The remainder appeared to have been beaten, Lee County Coroner Larry Logan said. Seventeen other prisoners were sent to hospitals for treatment.

No prison guards were hurt. Stirling says they followed protocol by backing out and asking for support. He says that once a special SWAT team entered, the inmates gave up peacefully.

Stirling says cellphones helped stir up the trouble. He urged the federal government to change a law and allow state institutions like his to block prisoners' cell signals.</s>(COLUMBIA, S.C.) — An inmate who witnessed a riot inside a South Carolina prison says he saw bodies stacking up on each other and correctional officers didn’t do anything to stop the violence or check on the injured.

A spokesman for the state’s prisons says seven inmates were killed and at least 17 others were seriously injured as inmates fought uninterrupted for more than seven hours. Officials didn’t immediately say what sparked the violence. No prison guards were hurt.

The prisoner who saw the riot exchanged messages with AP on the condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to have a cellphone and fears retribution from other inmates.

He says most of the inmates are affiliated with gangs and several attackers taunted a rival gang member who was hurt.</s>South Carolina officials are blaming the prison riot that killed seven inmates on a turf war between gangs over territory, money and contraband items like cellphones.

Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said Monday that inmates armed with homemade knives fought each other for seven hours. Most of the slain were stabbed or slashed. The remainder appeared to have been beaten, Lee County Coroner Larry Logan said. Seventeen other prisoners were sent to hospitals for treatment.

No prison guards were hurt. Stirling says they followed protocol by backing out and asking for support. He says that once a special SWAT team entered, the inmates gave up peacefully.

Stirling says cellphones helped stir up the trouble. He urged the federal government to change a law and allow state institutions like his to block prisoners’ cell signals.</s>Image copyright Submitted Image caption The inmates climbed on to the safety netting of E Wing and refused to come down

Inmates "threw paint and smashed fire alarms" during a disturbance at a young offenders institution.

The Prison Service said four prison officers suffered minor injuries in the trouble at HMYOI Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Inmates "trashed" E Wing in protest over a lack of showers and time out of their cells, the BBC was told.

The Prison Service said: "Offenders who behave in this way will be punished and may face extra time behind bars."

Image caption The young offenders institution houses young males with the longest sentences in England

A woman whose partner is an inmate told the BBC some of the men had leapt on to the wing's safety netting and refused to come down.

The source said her partner was not involved and went back to his cell. Another prisoner sent pictures of the disturbance from a banned mobile phone.

"There's a new regime and they aren't allowed any association during the week," she said.

"So they can shower and exercise but then have been locked up all week. They had one shower on Monday and nothing since.

"On Saturday they weren't allowed the weekend association where they can play pool, etc. This morning, they were allowed another shower but, when they were told they were going to be locked up again, with no explanation, lots of them refused to go back."

The inmates then "trashed the wing", the source said, adding "they've thrown paint, smashed fire alarms and broken cameras".

Image copyright Submitted Image caption Prisoners refused to go back to their cells on Sunday morning

E Wing houses more than 70 young men aged up to 21 in the jail on Bierton Road.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Prison staff at HMYOI Aylesbury have successfully resolved a brief period of indiscipline today involving a small number of offenders on one wing."

They said the trouble was "confined to one area of the prison" and the rest of the site remained secure.

Four prison officers were taken to hospital with minor injuries and have since returned to duty.

Last July, seven prison officers and one inmate were injured in a "brawl" at Aylesbury.

In November, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) blamed serious understaffing for an increase in violence at the site.</s>South Carolina officials are blaming the prison riot that killed seven inmates on a turf war between gangs over territory, money and contraband items like cellphones.

Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said Monday that inmates armed with homemade knives fought each other for seven hours. Most of the slain were stabbed or slashed. The remainder appeared to have been beaten, Lee County Coroner Larry Logan said. Seventeen other prisoners were sent to hospitals for treatment.

No prison guards were hurt. Stirling says they followed protocol by backing out and asking for support. He says that once a special SWAT team entered, the inmates gave up peacefully.

Stirling says cellphones helped stir up the trouble. He urged the federal government to change a law and allow state institutions like his to block prisoners' cell signals.</s>Inmates "threw paint and smashed fire alarms" during a disturbance at a young offenders institution.

The Prison Service said four prison officers suffered minor injuries in the trouble at HMYOI Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Inmates "trashed" E Wing in protest over a lack of showers and time out of their cells, the BBC was told.

The Prison Service said: "Offenders who behave in this way will be punished and may face extra time behind bars."

Ellie Saddington, whose partner is an inmate, told the BBC some of the men had leapt onto the wing's safety netting and refused to come down.

The 19-year-old from Liverpool said her partner was not involved and went back to his cell but another prisoner had sent pictures and made calls about the riot from a banned mobile phone.

"There's a new regime and they aren't allowed any association during the week," Miss Saddington said.

"So they can shower and exercise but then have been locked up all week. They had one shower on Monday and nothing since.

"On Saturday they weren't allowed the weekend association where they can play pool, etc. This morning, they were allowed another shower but, when they were told they were going to be locked up again, with no explanation, lots of them refused to go back."

The inmates then "trashed the wing", Miss Saddington said, adding "they've thrown paint, smashed fire alarms and broken cameras".

E Wing houses more than 70 young men aged up to 21 in the jail on Bierton Road.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Prison staff at HMYOI Aylesbury have successfully resolved a brief period of indiscipline today involving a small number of offenders on one wing."

They said the trouble was "confined to one area of the prison" and the rest of the site remained secure.

Four prison officers were taken to hospital with minor injuries and have since returned to duty.

Last July, seven prison officers and one inmate were injured in a "brawl" at Aylesbury.

In November, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) blamed serious understaffing for an increase in violence at the site.
Inmates at E Wing of HMYOI Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England, riot, injuring four prison officers. A woman claiming to be an inmate's partner says the riot was in response to the inmates being housed en masse in solitary confinement without association with other prisoners for at least a week.