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July 23, 2013

Iraq: 500 Prisoners Escape from Abu Ghraib 
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In Iraq, more than 500 prisoners have escaped from Abu Ghraib, the
prison on the outskirts of Baghdad made famous by photographs revealing
the torture of prisoners by U.S. soldiers. The prison break began Sunday
night when suicide bombers and gunmen launched an assault that lasted
into the morning. At least 10 police and four militants died. An
official told Reuters most of the escaped prisoners were convicted
senior members of al-Qaeda. Another prison north of Baghdad came under
simultaneous attack with a number of soldiers and militants killed but
no reported prisoner escapes. Abu Ghraib prison became synonymous with
U.S. abuses in Iraq after graphic images emerged nearly a decade ago
showing Iraqi prisoners being sexually abused and tortured by U.S.
solders. Meanwhile in the northern city of Mosul on Monday, a suicide
bomber targeting an Iraqi military convoy killed at least 22 soldiers
and three other people who happened to be passing by.

 

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