Afghan prison riot leaves six dead

Authorities have regained control of Kabul prison after four days of rioting that left at least six people dead, a senior Afghan official said today.

Mohammed Qasim Hashimzai, the deputy justice minister, said more than 1,300 prisoners, including 350 Taliban and al-Qaida inmates accused of fomenting the unrest, had been transferred to another block of the Kabul prison under official guard.

“God help us, now everything is safe and secure,” Hashimzai said.

He said one more dead body had been found as the prisoners were cleared out, bring the death toll to six.

Afghan army soldiers were escorting reporters to look inside Policharki prison on the outskirts of the Afghan capital.