Afghan, Foreign Troops Launch Massive Manhunt to Recapture Prisoners

Afghan and foreign troops have launched a massive manhunt to recapturehundreds of prisoners, including suspected Taliban militants, whoescaped a central prison in southern Afghanistan after a raid byTaliban insurgents on Friday night. Authorities say an investigationinto the incident is underway and some prison officials are also beingquestioned to see if they had played any role. In another development,U.S military officials say that a roadside bomb explosion left foursoldiers from the US-led coaltion dead in western Afghanistan. Fromneighboring Pakistan, Ayaz Gul reports.

A Taliban spokesmantold reporters by telephone from an undisclosed location that 30insurgents and two suicide bombers took part in the Friday night attackon the prison in the southern city of Kandahar.

Thecommando-style assault began with a fuel tanker loaded with explosiveshitting the main gate while another suicide bomber blew up the backwall of the facility. The powerful explosions are said to haveinstantly killed at least 15 security guards and wounded many others.

AfghanDeputy Justice Minister Mohammad Qasim Hashimzai says that heavilyarmed Taliban militants then stormed the compound and helped prisonersescape.

"Now when this happened, and of course there were somecasualties in the beginning and of course when the ISAF forces and thegovernment forces were informed about that, they blocked the roadsleading to the prison, and outside of it, and other main roadssearching the vehicles to see if they can re-capture those who managedto escape," he said.

Afghan officials say that there were nearly1,200 prisoners, including up to 400 suspected Taliban militants, beforethe attack, and most of them are said to have been freed by theattackers.

The jailbreak is being described as a major securitybreach and has increased security concerns for both the government andforeign forces particularly in southern Afghanistan, where Talibanmilitants have carried out most of their subversive activities in thepast two years.

Under a program agreed to last year to transferall local prisoners from U.S detention, the U.S. military has handedover an unspecified number of suspected Taliban fighters to Afghancustody.

Meanwhile, a roadside bomb exploded near a U.S militaryvehicle on Saturday killing four American soldiers. A U.S militaryspokesman says the attack happened in western Farah province andtargeted American personnel helping train Afghanistan's police force.

Theviolence and jailbreak came a day after international donors at aconference in Paris pledged more than $20 billion for Afghanistan.