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Roundup: 355 inmates escape in Afghan jail break, Taliban claim responsibility

Xinhua, September 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

A total of 355 detainees escaped as militants attacked a jail in Afghanistan's Ghazni province with Ghazni city as its capital 125 km south of the national capital Kabul city Monday morning, Interior Ministry confirmed in a statement released here.

"Some 436 prisoners had been held in Ghazni prison, but 355 of them were able to escape following the attack of terrorists early Monday morning," the statement said.

This is a major jailbreak in the conflict-ridden Afghanistan since 2011. In mid-2011, More than 500 inmates had escaped when Taliban militants attacked the main jail in Ghazni's neighboring Kandahar province.

According to the statement from the Interior Ministry, a suicide bomber blew himself up next to the gate of Ghazni prison at 02:00 a.m. local time Monday, enabling others to clash with warders of the jail during which scores of detainees had escaped availing opportunity.

Interior Ministry has also confirmed that four attackers and four police personnel were killed and seven more police sustained injuries during the firefight.

"Out of the 355 escapees inmates, 207 had been held for involvement in criminal activities and 148 for involvement in terroristic activities," the statement of Interior Ministry asserted.

According to the statement, 81 detainees had been left in the jail and operations to recapture the escapees have led to the re- arresting of three criminals; while operations continue to recapture the remaining escapees.

Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit, in a statement sent to media outlets, claimed that the Taliban militants after attacking the jail in Ghazni city Monday morning had set free all 450 inmates including Taliban loyalists and others languished there.

He also confirmed the death of three militants during the operations, but insisted that more than 40 security personnel had been killed and injured during the attack on jail, a claim rebuffed by deputy governor of Ghazni province Mohammad Ali Ahmadi as baseless. Endi