Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Al-Qaida, Taleban Inmates Riot at Afghanistan Prison
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=112078E:3919ACA Prison officials
say riot erupted Saturday night after group of prisoners seized
control of women's wing of Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul



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width=210 vspace=2 border=0>

A convoy of Afghan National Army drive around the Poldicharki Prison
in Kabul, Feb. 26, 2006

Officials in Afghanistan say Taleban, al-Qaida and hundreds of other
inmates at a high-security prison in Kabul have taken control of a
prison block after clashing with security guards.

Prison officials say the riot erupted Saturday night after a group of
prisoners refused to wear new prison uniforms intended to prevent
inmates from mingling with visitors and possibly escaping. Seven
Taleban inmates used such a method to escape last month.

Officials say at least 1,300 prisoners were involved in the riot.

Shots were heard at the Pul-e-Charkhi prison Saturday and
early Sunday. Authorities say no guards were hurt, but several
prisoners were injured.

Pul-e-Charkhi prison is a huge facility built in the 1970s where
thousands of Afghans opposing communist rule in the 1980s were
tortured and killed. The prison now holds common criminals as well as
al-Qaida and Taleban-linked militants.

Some information for this report was provided by AP , AFP and Reuters.


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