Taleban jailbreak

Seven Taleban rebels have escaped from Pul-e-Charkhi, the country’s main high-security prison on the outskirts of Kabul, officials said on January 24. An official at the prison who did not want to be named said police have launched a manhunt for the escapees, so far without success. The official suggested that the some staff might have helped the men escape, and ten prison guards have been arrested on suspicion of complicity. A security official said the men escaped while relatives were visiting them at the prison. The escaped men were said to be from the southern province of Kandahar, and had fought for the Taleban and al-Qaeda. General Abdul Salam Bakhshi, the director of Afghanistan’s prison service, confirmed the report but said none of the escaped men was an important figure. He also confirmed that warders had been arrested.