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| Militants Attack Iraqi Prison and Kill 15 Police Officers | Militants Attack Iraqi Prison and Kill 15 Police Officers |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| BAGHDAD — A group of militants laid siege to a prison near Tikrit, and an ensuing gun battle left at least 15 police officers dead and more than 80 prisoners on the loose, officials said on Friday. | |
| The fight late Thursday lasted for at least eight hours, officials said, before security forces were able to retake the prison. Five prisoners were also killed. As the fighting began, prisoners were able to break in to an armory and steal weapons. | The fight late Thursday lasted for at least eight hours, officials said, before security forces were able to retake the prison. Five prisoners were also killed. As the fighting began, prisoners were able to break in to an armory and steal weapons. |
| The prison houses many convicted terrorists with ties to Al Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni insurgent group that is still active here, and some of the prisoners had been awaiting execution. Al Qaeda in Iraq has said in its communiqués that it would target prisons where its militants are being held. | The prison houses many convicted terrorists with ties to Al Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni insurgent group that is still active here, and some of the prisoners had been awaiting execution. Al Qaeda in Iraq has said in its communiqués that it would target prisons where its militants are being held. |
| “They were sentenced to death, so they were ready to do anything to escape,” said Muhammad Hassan, the head of the security on the provincial council in Tikrit, a city of north of Baghdad that was Saddam Hussein’s hometown. | “They were sentenced to death, so they were ready to do anything to escape,” said Muhammad Hassan, the head of the security on the provincial council in Tikrit, a city of north of Baghdad that was Saddam Hussein’s hometown. |
| The attack highlighted persistent concerns about the competence of Iraq’s security forces, and Mr. Hassan blamed them for their lack of experience. He also criticized the government for delaying the executions of some of the inmates. He said that some of the prisoners, while in detention had had access to telephones and continued to direct terrorist attacks. | |
| The authorities in Tikrit imposed a curfew on the local population as a group of special forces arrived from Baghdad to help search for the escapees. On Friday morning, officials said 40 prisoners had been caught, and 81 were still at large. | The authorities in Tikrit imposed a curfew on the local population as a group of special forces arrived from Baghdad to help search for the escapees. On Friday morning, officials said 40 prisoners had been caught, and 81 were still at large. |
An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Tikrit, Iraq. | An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Tikrit, Iraq. |