ISIS Attacks Eastern Afghan Jail, Hundreds Escape

Dozens killed in fighting over important Jalalabad jail

While the Eid al-Adha ceasefire continued to go well in Afghanistan, ISIS looked to be trying to reassert itself, attacking a prison in the eastern city of Jalalbad, and briefly taking control over the watchtowers. 10 ISIS and 29 others were reported killed in the fighting.

By late Monday the situation was calm again, with the government back in control. Huindreds of prisoners appear to have used the opportunity to escape. Officials say 1,025 had been recaptured and over 300 are still at large.

The attack followed the usual script in the region, a car bomb causing chaos and then gunmen surging ahead in the aftermath. Officials placed Jalalabad under curfew during the siege.

Jalalabad is in a key area often contested by ISIS, and the prison in question was holding many ISIS prisoners from previous offensives. Fighting with ISIS was also reported elsewhere in Nangarhar, nearby but seemingly not directly related.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.