Prisoners escape from Afghan jail after Taliban attack
Friday, June 13, 2008
- 10 February 2012: German judge orders life sentence for nation's 'first Islamic-motivated terror attack'
- 28 January 2012: Wikinews Shorts: January 28, 2012
- 12 January 2012: Inquiry ordered into video of US troops urinating on Taliban fighters
- 30 September 2011: Afghan employee kills U.S. citizen at Kabul CIA base
- 7 August 2011: 38 killed after US helicopter crashes in Afghanistan
Almost all the prisoners kept in Kandahar jail have escaped after the building was attacked by Taliban militants. Police have reported that "a suicide attacker drove his way into the main gate of the prison, it was very strong and destroyed the gate and two sides of the surrounding wall." About 350 militants participated in the attack, and 15 guards were killed, while about 1,000 prisoners escaped.
The Taliban used a combination of two suicide bombers and roughly 30 other militants on motorcycles with rockets and small-arms to attack the prison. The suicide bombers destroyed the main gate to the prison, as well as a wall. Afterwards, the other militants engaged in a massive gun attack on the prison guards, allowing prisoners to escape.
A state of emergency has been declared throughout Kandahar province, as large numbers of both Afghan and NATO forces have been deployed to track down the escaped prisoners.
[edit] Sources
- Sayed Salahuddin. "Nearly all prisoners flee Kandahar jail - officials" — Reuters, June 13, 2008
- "Taliban prisoners freed in Afghan prison suicide attack: officials" — AFP, June 13, 2008
- "Taleban jail raid frees hundreds" — BBC, June 14, 2008
- "Manhunt follows Taliban jail attack" — Al-Jazeera, June 14, 2008
