Bannu jailbreak: Prisoners' names placed on ECL

Former DIG Bannu, former jail superintendent also recorded their statements before probe team. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

PESHAWAR: The names of the absconding prisoners, who fled after hundreds of armed Taliban militants attacked the Central Jail in Bannu on Sunday, have been place on the Exit Control List (ECL), Express News reported on Wednesday.

Former DIG Bannu Iftikhar Khan and former jail superintendent Zahid Khan also recorded their statements before a team investigating the incident.

More than 200 Taliban men travelling in several vehicles attacked the jail on April 15, releasing 384 prisoners in a coordinated pre-dawn assault.

Soon after the attack, the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) claimed responsibility for raiding the jail. TTP spokesperson Asimullah Mehsud told The Express Tribune from an undisclosed location that they (TTP) attacked the jail with hundreds of fighters. “The purpose was to free some of our men”, he said, adding “we attacked with 150 Fidaeen (suicide bombers) and took over the area for more than two hours.”

Four police officials who were injured in the attack were taken to the District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ). Another policeman on guard at the main gate of the police station said that dozens of the militants were in vehicles and hundreds of them were on foot carrying Ak-47s and rocket launchers.