12 September 2009 / AP, BAGHDAD
Inmates at Abu Ghraib prison started a fire and attacked guards, prompting authorities to call in Iraqi troops and American helicopters for support, the US military said on Friday.
The unrest began when three inmates started a fire in their cell on Thursday and tried to overpower guards in an apparent escape attempt, US military spokesman Master Sgt. Nicholas Conner said. Prison authorities called in the Iraqi military to help quell the disturbance inside, while the US provided helicopter support to monitor areas outside the prison, Conner said. Iraqi authorities reported that three Iraqi guards and three prisoners were injured before security forces regained control, Conner said. The prison, notorious since the 2004 release of photos showing US soldiers abusing prisoners, is now back under Iraqi control. Eleven US soldiers were eventually convicted of crimes at the prison. Iraqi media reported that the Iraqi security forces fired shots during the riot and that an unspecified number of inmates were killed, but Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim said there were no fatalities.
