Bloodbath in Iraqi-run prison

A tragic incident today at an Iraqi-run prison in the outskirts of Baghdad, resulting in the death of at least 8 people, will undoubtedly reinforce the US military's opinion that Iraqis are not ready to take control of the over 14,000 detainees in US custody.



Even Iraqi Interior Ministry officials were admitting after the violence today that they are under-trained and under-equipped to run an effective prison system.

Detainees at Kadhimiya Base were being transfered to another holding facility when as many as 16 broke free and stormed the armory of the prison. It seems there was a concerted effort to seize weapons and escape.

Four wardens and an interpreter were killed presumably by the detainee gunmen who were able to reach the armory. During the firefight, wardens and US soldiers fired on the crowd of inmates, killing four detainees and wounding many more.