“After the earthquake, which also affected the Rajo prison, the prisoners rioted and took control of part of the facility,” a prison source told AFP. About 20 prisoners escaped during the riot. “They are IS fighters,” the source said. There are about 2,000 prisoners in the prison, of which 1,300 are suspected of belonging to the Islamic State organization. Kurdish fighters are also held there.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which was followed by dozens of aftershocks, damaged the prison. Walls and doors cracked, the source added.
