About 30 people were killed and 29 others wounded in a series of overnight assaults on police in the Brazilian southern state of Sao Paulo, officials said on Saturday.

A total of 55 attacks were carried out against police barracks, police stations and officers on patrol in Sao Paulo and other cities in Sao Paulo state. Among the dead, 23 were police officers, five assailants and two civilians. At least 16 suspects were arrested.

The assaults were believed to be organized by the First Capital Commando, the largest mafia group in Sao Paulo. They appeared to be a reprisal for the transfer of 765 gangsters to top-security prisons.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was attending the fourth European Union-Latin America Summit in Vienna, said he asked Justice Minister Marcio Thomaz Bastos to do everything necessary to end the rebellion in Sao Paulo and avoid additional crimes and deaths.

Source: Xinhua