One Mozambique family is mourning a 16-year-old girl shot dead on Christmas Day; another is devastated over the loss of a 22-year-old son, brother and breadwinner killed on the sidelines of a protest weeks earlier.

More than 1,500 prisoners escaped from a Maputo prison 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.

At least 21 people have been killed in unrest after Mozambique's top court on Monday confirmed long-ruling party Frelimo's victory in the election, the country's interior minister said late on Tuesday.

President-Elect Daniel Chapo plans a national-reconciliation dialog to resolve a political crisis and restore investor confidence after violent protests battered Mozambique since the Oct. 9 poll.

Thousands have fled Mozambique in the past week to neighbouring Malawi seeking refuge from the southern African nation's deadly post-election protests, authorities told AFP.

More than 2,000 Mozambican families have sought refuge in Malawi this week, Malawian authorities said, as dozens of people were reported killed in spreading unrest over a disputed election in October.

It happened while you were sleeping. Here’s what global agencies noted overnight from Friday to Saturday. Over 12,000 residents of Mozambique crossed into neighboring Malawi this past week, fleeing escalating violence caused by disputed presidential elections.

It happened while you were sleeping. Here’s what global agencies noted overnight from Friday to Saturday. More than 12,000 residents of Mozambique have crossed into neighbouring Malawi this past week,