Over 100 inmates escape from an Iraqi prison Baghdad – Jaafar Al Nasrawy The Security and Defence committee in the parliament announced that 116 prisoners had escaped from a prison in the Iraqi city of Tikrit. The prison was broken into by armed men on Thursday evening, while the special golden brigade, which belongs to the Iraqi security forces, arrived to the city to control the situation.
A member of the Security and Defence committee, Hakem Zamili, told Arabstoday that the storming in of the prison led to the escape of 116 prisoners, including Al-Qaeda leaders and members. Many of the escaped detainees had been sentenced to death. The prisoners also burnt all their files and photos before fleeing in attempts to make their re arrest impossible.
Unidentified gunmen were able to smuggle a number of prisoners from Tasfirat prison into downtown Tikrit on Thursday. A car detonated at the gate of the prison following a clash took place between the gunmen and the prison’s guards.
Zamili added: “The militants and the inmates were able to steal medium and light weapons from the prison and killed 12 security officials. The security forces arrested only 24 of the escaped prisoners while 85 others are still free.”
Zamili also stated that weapons, swords, bayonets and various other weapons were found inside the prison, further explaining that the prison had not been inspected for around a year.
The member of the Security and Defence Committee stressed that his committee will follow up this case and shall summon the Police Chief of Salahuddin and Director General of Iraqi Department of Reform, adding that he had been weak and unprofessional in managing such important files.
The police of Salahuddin governorate near Baghdad asserted that the golden brigade of the Iraqi security forces arrived from Baghdad and broke into Tikrit prison, arresting 40 of the escapees.
The outcome of the attack on the prison is lead to the death of seven individuals, including a lieutenant and three wounded security officials.