Toll in Brazil gang-police battles rises to 52

At least 52 people, including 35 police officers, have been killed after a second night of gang attacks on Sao Paulo police stations, officials have said.

The onslaught against police stations and barracks began late Friday in apparent reprisal for the transfer of jailed gangsters to a high-security prison, officials said Sunday.

Thirty people, 23 of them police officers, were killed in 55 attacks overnight Friday. Another wave of attacks left 22 more people dead including 12 more police officers.

The assault in the southern Brazil state continued late Saturday and early Sunday with another 20 attacks, and police said there were new rebellions in prisons as well.

The attacks were carried out by the "First Capital Command", Sao Paulo's largest criminal gang.