40 inmates escape from prison in Libya

Tripoli: About 40 inmates have fled their prison with the aid of some gunmen in the southern Libyan city of Sabha, media reported Saturday.

The inmates escaped at dawn Friday after the prison came under attack by some unidentified gunmen, Xinhua reported quoting official LANA news agency.

Prison director Nasr Shaaban said the gunmen fired a barrage of bullets indiscriminately at the entrance and then searched for the inmates.

After locating them, the gunmen smuggled tens of them out, he said.

Jailbreaks take place frequently in Libya as the national police and army are currently under training and the government can only rely on militias for security.