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| Pakistan jailbreak: Taliban free 243 in Dera Ismail Khan | Pakistan jailbreak: Taliban free 243 in Dera Ismail Khan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Taliban militants have freed 243 prisoners in an assault on a prison in north-west Pakistan, officials say. | Taliban militants have freed 243 prisoners in an assault on a prison in north-west Pakistan, officials say. |
| The attack in the town of Dera Ismail Khan began with huge explosions at around midnight on Monday (15:00 GMT). | The attack in the town of Dera Ismail Khan began with huge explosions at around midnight on Monday (15:00 GMT). |
| Gunmen then opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and machine-guns, police chief Sohail Khalid said. About 70 attackers were in police uniform. | Gunmen then opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and machine-guns, police chief Sohail Khalid said. About 70 attackers were in police uniform. |
| The town is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, next to Pakistan's restive mountainous tribal region. | |
| The town's prison houses hundreds of Taliban and militants from banned groups. | The town's prison houses hundreds of Taliban and militants from banned groups. |
| Twelve people - including six police officers - were killed in the gun battle that raged for three or four hours after militants launched their assault. | Twelve people - including six police officers - were killed in the gun battle that raged for three or four hours after militants launched their assault. |
| The town's civil commissioner Mushtaq Jadoon said that 30 hardened militants jailed for their involvement in major attacks or suicide bombings were among those who escaped. | The town's civil commissioner Mushtaq Jadoon said that 30 hardened militants jailed for their involvement in major attacks or suicide bombings were among those who escaped. |
| Those released jail include two local Taliban commanders, Abdul Hakim and Haji Ilyas, reports BBC Urdu's Ahmed Wali. | |
| Also released is a sectarian militant, Waleed Akbar, the principle suspect in last year's attacks on Shia mourners in Dera Ismail Khan during the Shia mourning month of Moharram. | Also released is a sectarian militant, Waleed Akbar, the principle suspect in last year's attacks on Shia mourners in Dera Ismail Khan during the Shia mourning month of Moharram. |
| Attackers used loudhailers to call the names of particular inmates, Mr Jadoon said. | Attackers used loudhailers to call the names of particular inmates, Mr Jadoon said. |
| Fourteen fugitives were later re-arrested by police, he said. A curfew has now been imposed on Dera Ismail Khan as police hunt for the remaining escaped prisoners, but correspondents say this will be a difficult task as they flee into tribal areas. | Fourteen fugitives were later re-arrested by police, he said. A curfew has now been imposed on Dera Ismail Khan as police hunt for the remaining escaped prisoners, but correspondents say this will be a difficult task as they flee into tribal areas. |
| Katherine Houreld, a correspondent for Reuters news agency, told the BBC it had been a "very sophisticated attack - they blew the electricity line, they breached the walls and they set ambushes for reinforcements". | Katherine Houreld, a correspondent for Reuters news agency, told the BBC it had been a "very sophisticated attack - they blew the electricity line, they breached the walls and they set ambushes for reinforcements". |
| Mr Jadoon told a local TV station that 14 explosive devices planted in the jail had so far been defused. | Mr Jadoon told a local TV station that 14 explosive devices planted in the jail had so far been defused. |
| Attack 'threats' | Attack 'threats' |
| A local resident told the agency that the initial blast was so loud that "it rattled every house in the neighbourhood". | A local resident told the agency that the initial blast was so loud that "it rattled every house in the neighbourhood". |
| The attackers were chanting "God is great" and "Long live the Taliban", officials said. | The attackers were chanting "God is great" and "Long live the Taliban", officials said. |
| Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid has claimed responsibility for the attack. He said around 300 prisoners had been freed. | Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid has claimed responsibility for the attack. He said around 300 prisoners had been freed. |
| The authorities are reported to have received intelligence about an impending attack two weeks ago, but prison officials said they did not expect it to come so soon. | The authorities are reported to have received intelligence about an impending attack two weeks ago, but prison officials said they did not expect it to come so soon. |
| The building is about a century old and officials say it was not constructed to house high-security prisoners. | The building is about a century old and officials say it was not constructed to house high-security prisoners. |
| Hundreds of inmates were freed in an assault on a prison in Bannu in northern Pakistan in April last year. | Hundreds of inmates were freed in an assault on a prison in Bannu in northern Pakistan in April last year. |
| Correspondents say the authorities will face questions about how militants were able to stage a virtually identical attack in Dera Ismail Khan. | Correspondents say the authorities will face questions about how militants were able to stage a virtually identical attack in Dera Ismail Khan. |
| The attack appears to be part of a Taliban strategy to break jails instead of negotiating prisoner releases with government, the BBC's Ilyas Khan reports from Islamabad. | The attack appears to be part of a Taliban strategy to break jails instead of negotiating prisoner releases with government, the BBC's Ilyas Khan reports from Islamabad. |
| Last month, police claimed they arrested some Taliban operatives who were planning to attack a jail in the southern port city of Karachi, our correspondent adds. | Last month, police claimed they arrested some Taliban operatives who were planning to attack a jail in the southern port city of Karachi, our correspondent adds. |
| Monday night's violence came hours before Pakistani politicians were to choose the country's new president. | Monday night's violence came hours before Pakistani politicians were to choose the country's new president. |
| The replacement for Asif Ali Zardari is being elected by the members of both houses of parliament and the four provincial assemblies. | The replacement for Asif Ali Zardari is being elected by the members of both houses of parliament and the four provincial assemblies. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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