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| Pakistan jailbreak: Taliban free 248 in Dera Ismail Khan | Pakistan jailbreak: Taliban free 248 in Dera Ismail Khan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Taliban militants have freed 248 prisoners in an assault on a prison in north-west Pakistan, officials say. | Taliban militants have freed 248 prisoners in an assault on a prison in north-west Pakistan, officials say. |
| Militants armed with automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and bombs blasted down the walls of the jail in the town of Dera Ismail Khan and streamed inside, reports said. | Militants armed with automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and bombs blasted down the walls of the jail in the town of Dera Ismail Khan and streamed inside, reports said. |
| A gun battle lasting several hours went on into the early hours of Tuesday. At least 13 died, including six police. | |
| Correspondents say it is a huge embarrassment for authorities. | Correspondents say it is a huge embarrassment for authorities. |
| The attack was similar to an assault on a prison in nearby Bannu in April last year, in which almost 400 prisoners were freed. | The attack was similar to an assault on a prison in nearby Bannu in April last year, in which almost 400 prisoners were freed. |
| Reports also suggest intelligence had warned of an impending attempt on the jail two weeks ago. | Reports also suggest intelligence had warned of an impending attempt on the jail two weeks ago. |
| This latest assault demonstrates the weakness of the Pakistani state, says the BBC's Shahzeb Jillani in Karachi. | This latest assault demonstrates the weakness of the Pakistani state, says the BBC's Shahzeb Jillani in Karachi. |
| The state appears not to have the capacity, and some would say the will, to rein in hardened militants, he says. | The state appears not to have the capacity, and some would say the will, to rein in hardened militants, he says. |
| Police uniforms | Police uniforms |
| 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). |
| Up to 100 attackers, some wearing police uniforms, bombarded the prison with rockets and mortars before going inside. | Up to 100 attackers, some wearing police uniforms, bombarded the prison with rockets and mortars before going inside. |
| The town's civil commissioner, Mushtaq Jadoon, said attackers used loudhailers to call the names of particular inmates. | The town's civil commissioner, Mushtaq Jadoon, said attackers used loudhailers to call the names of particular inmates. |
| An ensuing gun battle raged for three or four hours. | An ensuing gun battle raged for three or four hours. |
| 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". |
| The town's prison is a century old and is said not to have been designed for high-security inmates, but houses hundreds of Taliban fighters and militants from other banned groups. | The town's prison is a century old and is said not to have been designed for high-security inmates, but houses hundreds of Taliban fighters and militants from other banned groups. |
| Mr Jadoon said 30 "hardened militants", who had been jailed for their involvement in major attacks or suicide bombings, were among those freed. | Mr Jadoon said 30 "hardened militants", who had been jailed for their involvement in major attacks or suicide bombings, were among those freed. |
| He was also quoted as saying that militants had taken away six women, five of them inmates and the other a police officer. | He was also quoted as saying that militants had taken away six women, five of them inmates and the other a police officer. |
| An unnamed official told AFP news agency that jail records and an office had also been torched. | An unnamed official told AFP news agency that jail records and an office had also been torched. |
| The town is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, next to Pakistan's mountainous tribal region. | The town is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, next to Pakistan's mountainous tribal region. |
| Among the inmates freed were two local Taliban commanders, Abdul Hakim and Haji Ilyas. | Among the inmates freed were two local Taliban commanders, Abdul Hakim and Haji Ilyas. |
| 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. |
| Fourteen fugitives were later re-arrested by police, Mr Jadoon said. | Fourteen fugitives were later re-arrested by police, Mr Jadoon 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. | 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. |
| Mr Jadoon told a local TV station that militants had booby-trapped the building with explosive devices, which had now been defused. | Mr Jadoon told a local TV station that militants had booby-trapped the building with explosive devices, which had now 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 said his group carried out the attack. He said about 300 prisoners had been freed. | Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said his group carried out the attack. He said about 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. |
| A Taliban spokesman said one of their commanders freed in an assault on a prison in Bannu in northern Pakistan in April last year played a key role in the latest jailbreak. | A Taliban spokesman said one of their commanders freed in an assault on a prison in Bannu in northern Pakistan in April last year played a key role in the latest jailbreak. |
| 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. |
| 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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