U.S. and Iraqi officials announced Thursday that four prisoners being guarded by American troops escaped from a maximum-security prison in Baghdad.
According to a military statement, U.S. troops patrolling the prison found two detainees attempting to escape but when they conducted a sweep of the entire facility, four prisoners remained unaccounted for. The four fugitives, with ties to al Qaeda, remain at large after a breaking out of Karkh Prison, formerly called Camp Cropper.
“U.S. Forces-Iraq, Iraqi Security Forces and the [Ministry of Justice] are working to apprehend these individuals,” said Maj. Gen. Jerry Cannon, head of American detainee operations in Iraq. “This event is under investigation.
The Associated Press reports that the breakout is an “embarrassment” for the U.S. military after it handed over control of all detention facilities they ran to the Iraqi government. At the request of the Iraqi government, American forces retained control of the most dangerous prisoners, including those with ties to terrorist groups or Sadaam Husein’s former regime.
This event marks the second escape since the U.S. handed custody of the detention facility to Iraq. Just seven days after the transfer, four other al Qaeda linked prisoners escaped.
Four Al Qaeda Prisoners Escape U.S. Forces In Iraq
U.S. and Iraqi officials announced Thursday that four prisoners being guarded by American troops escaped from a maximum-security prison in Baghdad.
According to a military statement, U.S. troops patrolling the prison found two detainees attempting to escape but when they conducted a sweep of the entire facility, four prisoners remained unaccounted for. The four fugitives, with ties to al Qaeda, remain at large after a breaking out of Karkh Prison, formerly called Camp Cropper.
“U.S. Forces-Iraq, Iraqi Security Forces and the [Ministry of Justice] are working to apprehend these individuals,” said Maj. Gen. Jerry Cannon, head of American detainee operations in Iraq. “This event is under investigation.
The Associated Press reports that the breakout is an “embarrassment” for the U.S. military after it handed over control of all detention facilities they ran to the Iraqi government. At the request of the Iraqi government, American forces retained control of the most dangerous prisoners, including those with ties to terrorist groups or Sadaam Husein’s former regime.
This event marks the second escape since the U.S. handed custody of the detention facility to Iraq. Just seven days after the transfer, four other al Qaeda linked prisoners escaped.