El Salvador imposes prisons lockdown after 22 murders in a day

'Maximum emergency' to allow police investigate highest single-day homicide tally

The Salvadoran president, Nayib Bukele, late on Friday ordered a 24-hour lockdown of prisons containing gang members, and said their leaders would be sent into solitary confinement after a sudden spike in homicides during the day.

"No contact with the outside world. Shops will remain closed and all activities are suspended until further notice," Bukele tweeted shortly before midnight. "Gang leaders will go into solitary confinement."