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TALIBAN INSURGENTS FREED hundreds of prisoners – including hardline militants – in a brazen assault on a jail in northwest Pakistan that was bombarded with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, officials have said.
At least 13 people including six police, four prisoners and two attackers were killed in the overnight assault which triggered a three-hour gun battle between security forces and militants disguised in police uniforms, they said.
“A total of 243 prisoners have escaped, six of them were later arrested by police,” senior government official Mushtaq Jadoon told private TV channel ARY News, adding that “30 among the escaped prisoners were hardcore militants”.
The attack targeted the Central Prison in Dera Ismail Khan, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, close to the lawless tribal regions bordering Afghanistan where Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents are active.
A security official said the jail held up to 5,000 prisoners including around 300 militants involved in attacks on security forces and sectarian killings.
Jadoon said the fighters had planted dozens of explosive devices in the jail which were later defused by bomb disposal experts.
“Police and other law enforcing agencies have cleared the jail,” he said, adding authorities had imposed a curfew on the city and asked residents to stay at home.
“Through media, we appeal to the people to stay at home. It is to avoid any damage if army, police and paramilitary take any action,” he added.
Militants
Jadoon said around 50 to 60 militants managed to enter the jail as others fired rockets from outside.
“First they destroyed a police armoured vehicle parked at the front gate,” he said, adding that two policemen were killed in the initial rocket attack.
Jadoon said that one attacker was shot as he tried to run away.
“Police killed one militant who was trying to flee and who opened fire on police near the jail,” he said.
New leadership
In a reminder of the enormous security challenges facing Pakistan, the violence broke out just hours before the nation’s lawmakers began voting for the country’s new president.
The new head of state will replace outgoing President Asif Ali Zardari, who is ending a five-year term. His party lost May’s general elections and his successor is likely to be Mamnoon Hussain, a close ally of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the jail attack.
Washington considers the border tribal areas a major hub of Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the fatcat bond holders were compensated fully. Didn’t happen though when ordinary working men and women were persuaded by Mary O Rourke to beg borrow or steal to buy shares in Eircom…..
You may be sure that the majority of the managers and higher level workers lost out on nothing . As usual Mulvey, an ex trade union leader, is a disgrace !
Bloody whingers they were happy when the bank was doing well.
They were happy when the bonuses were coming in.
Lucky to be getting anything should only be statutory and be glad of it.
Frankly, they suffer because they are playing golf with the wrong crowd
My heart bleeds
No bank in receipt of state funds should have been allowed to offer anything beyond statutory redundancy. Maybe not a reflection on the person but the company was dead. I await with interest to see where John Moran pops up now he has allowed recapitalisation of banks.
Staff who resigned not entitled to redundancy… Shock Horror
my dad got his mortgage from anglo when it was a fella in an office.he got €4000 to build the house in dublin, and in the height the house was worth €650,000. in walkinstown. mental stuff
But he built it in the rare old times yeah ?
Anglo Irish Bank never offered residential mortgages
rare old times is right mate. even in walkintown… the house is big and had an extension with utility room and jax. it really makes ye remember how crazy it all was
Maybe I’m Missing something, but if you leave a job for a better offer, even if the company you work for is in trouble, you are not entitled to any redundancy. How is this even an issue for reporting in the media????
I have no sympathy for Anglo staff they did a crap job building a busted bank, paid themselves well and the country was left holding a bill for their collective stupidity. Just suck it up the same as contractors who never got paid or small business that went bust. I shared a lift with a stupid girl who had worked for Anglo and she could see no connection with the loss of services in society and her former company’s bad business decisions
Comments closed for Seanie et pals court case-but open for actual current staff working 9-5 same as u-shame on you Journal
Good. Finally a little bit of justice. It appears the country is slowly releasing its head from its anoos
Maybe I’m Missing something, but if you leave a job for a better offer, especially if the company you work for is in trouble, you’re not entitled to reduntancy!!!!!!
“The reason for this, according to the IBOA, is because creditors of the IBRC could legally pursue payments made to those who left early.”
Excellent. They can go after Fitzpatrick then, biggest payout in one person right there.
The lapdogs for the leprechauns who ruined the country,let them starve,call it the Anglo famine.
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