Armed men linked to Muslim rebels free more than 150 from Philippine prison

150 prisoners, some of them with ties to islamic militants, escaped after an attack in a prison in southern Philippines. During the attack one prison guard lost his life. The attackers were probably members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, one of the islamic militant groups that plague Philippines in the ongoing Moro Conflict.  -Vasilis Chronopoulos 

Around 100 armed men with links to Muslim rebels stormed a prison in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, killing a guard and freeing more than 150 prisoners, some of them Islamic militants, officials said.

The Southeast Asian, majority Roman Catholic nation has for decades been plagued by insurgency by Muslim rebels in its southern islands.

The gunmen opened fire at guards at the North Cotabato District Jail in Kidapawan, prison warden Peter Bongat said on radio. Of the jail’s 1,511 inmates, 158 managed to escape, he said.

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