Police chief sacked in aftermath of Afghan prison break

Police chief sacked in aftermath of Afghan prison break Last Updated: Thursday, June 26, 2008 | 8:35 AM ET Comments0Recommend0 CBC News

Kandahar's provincial police chief has been fired in the aftermath of a massive prison break in southern Afghanistan that resulted in 1,100 prisoners going free, the Afghan government said.

"Some officials neglected their duties, therefore the government of Afghanistan has decided to sack Gen. Saved Aga Sageb, the provincial police chief of Kandahar," the Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement Thursday, according to Reuters.

Intelligence and criminal investigations officials were also dismissed.

"The government of Afghanistan will never allow anyone to play with the security of the Afghan people," the ministry said.

The prison break was considered an embarrassment for the Afghan government and a threat to the security of the large city of Kandahar.

On June 13, Taliban militants detonated a car full of explosives in front of the main gates of Kandahar's Sarposa prison. Dozens of militants stormed the prison, firing rockets and detonating bombs as they set prisoners free.

Many of the inmates who escaped rushed into the nearby Arghandab region, where they were joined by other Taliban fighters. Local police and residents feared the fighters were preparing to mount a large-scale attack on Kandahar.