Islamabad, April 15,IRNA – Pakistani forces Sunday launched a major operation to arrest hundreds of prisoners who escaped from a prison in the country’s northwest after heavily armed Taliban militants attacked the jail, a provincial minister and police officials said

A total of 384 prisoners, including militants, escaped from central prison in the city of Bannu, after over hundred Taliban militants fired rockets and lobbed hand grenade the main gate at 1.30 a.m., Information Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkwa province, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said.

Hussain said that nearly 20 dangerous militants including Adnan Rashid, who had been involved in attack on former President Pervez Musharraf, also escaped. Musharraf (1999-2008) escaped unhurt in two bomb attacks in December 2003.

Police in Bannu said that foreign militants also escaped. A police officer said that 10 escaped prisoners were arrested and an operation is underway to arrest fleeing prisoners. Jail officials said that there had been a total of 944 prisoners when the armed men attacked the facility.

Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. A Taliban spokesman called local media persons and said their men had launched the attack.

A police officer, Sahib Jan, said the attackers also broke locks of specials of those criminals who had been awarded death penalty. He said the militants targeted six barracks of prisoners.

Police said that several police guards and prisoners were injured who were shifted to local hospital.

Jail officials said that the militants, who arrived in vehicles and on foot, first attacked the main gate with rockets and hand grenades and then opened fire. The attack caused damage to the gate and boundary walls of the prison, paving the way for the prisoners to escape.

The attack triggered exchange of fire between the jail guards and the militants. Police said that both sides exchanged firing for two hours.

Officials said that the militants arrived from the nearby North Waziristan tribal region and also fled to the same region, while carrying the escaped prisoners.

Information Minister said that the Bannu prison was highly sensitive as many dangerous prisoners were kept there and the government has ordered inquiry. He said investigation will be held as to why additional police force could not reach in time. He said that the militants had also closed all main routes to the prison after they launched attack.

The jail chief said that the Taliban militants were heavily armed and they targeted the gate, outer walls and the entered the building.

After hurling hand grenades, the gunmen used automatic weapons and fired at the police guards. The attack blew the main gate with grenades, helping the inmates to flee.

Officials said it is the first biggest attack on a prison in Pakistan