Dozens of prisoners killed and 40 escape in Iraqi jail break

At least six guards and 30 detainees were killed in a prison break north of Baghdad during which 40 inmates also escaped, an interior ministry spokesman said Saturday. The spokesman said the break on Friday started when an inmate took a weapon from a warden at the prison on the main police compound in Khalis, a town around 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Baghdad. The prison was holding 300 people, some charged with acts of terrorism, a security official and a police source said on Saturday.

One of the prisoners seized a weapon from a guard. After killing him, the inmate headed up to the weapons storage and he seized more weapons.

Brigadier General Saad Maan

Brigardier General Saad Maan said the prison lost a first lieutenant and five policemen. “Nine of them were held on terror charges and the rest for common crimes,” he added. It was not clear if any high-profile prisoners were held in the prison or if any had escaped from the facility in Al-Khalis, about 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad, Diyala Province’s security committee leader, Seyyid Sadiq al-Husseini, said.

Middle East