Taliban militants stormed a prison in the capital of southern Ghazni province early in the morning on Monday, freeing more than 350 prisoners and killing four prison security personnel. The prison attack happened at about 2 a.m. local time when a Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up at the entry gate of prison, allowing others to get inside, according to Tolonews.
"Around 2:30 a.m., six Taliban insurgents wearing military uniforms attacked Ghazni prison. First, they detonated a car bomb in front of the gate, fired an RPG and then raided the prison," said Mohammed Ali Ahmadi, deputy provincial governor, according to AFP.
Provincial officials said seven Talibani militants and four members of security forces were killed in the raid.
"Roads to the prison were covered with land mines in advance to avoid reinforcement. An army vehicle coming for reinforcements was blown up by a roadside bomb while trying to reach the prison," Ahmadi said, according to Euronews.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack and said that 10 suicide bombers were involved in the well-organized raid.
He claimed that it had freed more than 400 prisoners, according to Time. "In this operation, 400 of our innocent countrymen were freed ... and were taken to mujahedin-controlled areas," Mujahid said.
"Forty Afghan security forces and prison guards were killed in the prison break and important military mujahideen officials have been freed," he said in a statement, according to ABC News.
