An explosion in eastern Afghanistan on Monday allowed hundreds of inmates to escape from a maximum-security prison in an attack claimed by Taliban insurgents.
Following the 2 a.m. blast at the entrance to the prison in the capital of Ghazni province, south of Kabul, gunmen raided the facility and cleared the way for 355 prisoners to escape, interior ministry officials said.
Four police officers were killed and seven members of the Afghan security forces were wounded, officials said. Four attackers were also reported killed.
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The interior ministry described 148 of the escapees as security threats.