An al-Qaida front group has claimed responsibility for jail breaks in Iraq that saw the release of hundreds of militants and left more than 40 people dead, further eroding confidence in the government.
According to BBC News:
“Hundreds of inmates have escaped from two Iraqi prisons after gunmen stormed two jails near Baghdad.
“Fighting raged for several hours after the jails – Abu Ghraib to the west of the capital and Taji to the north – came under attack.
“Rami Ruhayem, the BBC’s Arab affairs analyst, said it seemed that ‘suicide bombers opened the gates to the prison’ and the attackers managed to ‘sustain hours of fighting’ with security services.
“Sharmine Narwani, a middle east expert at St Anthony’s College, Oxford, told the Today program’s Justin Webb that this could lead to a regional war and explained the ongoing implications of the incident are widening the divide in international Iraqi support.”
According to Channelnewsasia.com:
“An Al-Qaida front group has claimed responsibility for jail breaks to release hundreds of prisoners.
“Separately 12 people were killed and 49 wounded in a series of bombings which targeted worshipers gathered for evening prayers at four Sunni mosques on Tuesday.
“The bloodshed added to July’s soaring death toll, which stands at 638, the highest monthly figure in a year marked by spiraling violence.
“Another 1,445 people were wounded through July 23, according to AFP figures based on reports from security and medical sources.
“Both Sunni and Shiite Muslim places of worship have been attacked in recent months, raising fears of a return to the all-out sectarian conflict that killed tens of thousands of people in past years.
“The prison breakouts on Monday, illustrated both the growing reach of militants and the deteriorating security situation in Iraq.”
