Authorities said inmates belonging to two rival prison gangs— "Los Lobos” and “Los Choneros”— equipped with firearms, grenades and sharp weapons clashed with each other at the penitentiary on Tuesday.

Ecuador's prison service said in a statement that a joint operation launched by prison guards, police and military took nearly five hours to regain control of the regional prison.

Ecuador Police said that during the intervention and search operation inside the prison, cops had seized one rifle, one pistol, 18 sharp bladed weapons, 102 ammunition, drugs and several other prohibited items.

The Ecuador Prosecutor's Office said it had begun an investigation into the deadly gang clash in Guayaquil prison that left 29 inmates dead and 42 others injured.

According to reports, over 100 inmates have been killed so far this year in a series of deadly prison clashes between rival drug gangs in Ecuador while the figure was at 103 in 2020.