# Sarposa prison attack of 2008

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Taliban raid of Sarposa Prison in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Sarposa Prison attack Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Kandahar Kandahar (Afghanistan) Date June 13, 2008 Location Kandahar, Afghanistan 31°37′08″N 65°40′05″E / 31.61889°N 65.66806°E / 31.61889; 65.66806 Result Taliban victory (1,200+ prisoners freed). Belligerents Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Taliban Casualties and losses 15 policemen killed[1] 8 prisoners killed 2 suicide bombers detonated

v t e War in Afghanistan History Timeline 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Battles and operations v t e Invasion Crescent Wind Rhino Mazar-i-Sharif Kunduz Herat Kabul Tarinkot Trent Kandahar Qala-i-Jangi Shawali Kowt Sayyd Alma Kalay Tora Bora v t e Helmand Province campaign Lejay Eagle Fury Lashkar Gah 2006 Taliban offensive Mountain Thrust 1st Sangin Mountain Fury Nawzad Achilles Musa Qala I Volcano Kryptonite Silver Pickaxe-Handle Hammer Nasrat Musa Qala II Garmsir Eagle's Summit Red Dagger Shahi Tandar Diesel Mar Lewe Panther's Claw Strike of the Sword Dahaneh Cobra's Anger Moshtarak Tor Shezada Battle of Sangin Camp Bastion January 2017 Lashkargah Sangin June 2017 Lashkargah Camp Shorabak Grishk v t e Kandahar Province 2001 Kandahar bombing Fall of Kandahar Tarnak Farm Mongoose Medusa Avalanche 2006 Taliban offensive Kaika Panjwaii Falcon Summit Hoover Luger Kamin Shah Wali Kot 2008 Kandahar Spin Boldak Sarposa Arghandab Wech Baghtu 2009 Kandahar Nadahan Hamkari Dragon Strike Baawar Battle of Kandahar Kandahar massacre 2017 Kandahar 2020 Kandahar v t e Eastern Afghanistan Hazar Qadam Anaconda (Takur Ghar) Warrior Sweep Jacana Haven Denial Mountain Resolve Korangal valley (Red Wings) Jaji border incident Bagram (2007) South Korean hostages Nangar Khel Aranas Wanat Ebrahimkhel Alasay Bari Alai Ganjal Kamdesh Narang Khataba 2010 Badakhshan massacre Bad Pakh Bulldog Bite Barawala Kalay Valley Do Ab Asadabad Bagram (2014) Jalalabad (2015) Bagram (2015) Nangarhar Jalalabad (2016) Janikhel Bagram (2016) Mohmand Valley Tora Bora Jalalabad (January 2018) Jalalabad (July 2018) Jalalabad (September 2018) Charikar Jalalabad (2019) Bagram (2019) May 2020 v t e Kabul Province 2002 2008 Serena Hotel 2008 Indian embassy Uzbin 2009 raids NATO HQ 2009 Indian embassy Bakhtar January 2010 February 2010 May 2010 2011 Inter-Continental Hotel September 2011 December 2011 April 2012 June 2013 Palace January 2014 2014 Serena Hotel December 2014 Park Palace Parliament 7 August 2015 10 August 2015 22 August 2015 Spanish Embassy April 2016 Canadian Embassy July 2016 American University September 2016 January 2017 March 2017 May 2017 October 2017 mosque 28 December 2017 2018 Inter-Continental Hotel Ambulance March 2018 22 April 2018 30 April 2018 September 2018 2019 mosque 1 July 2019 28 July 2019 7 August 2019 17 August 2019 2 and 5 September 2019 17 September 2019 6 March 2020 Gurdwara May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 University December 2020 2021 school Fall of Kabul (2021) 2021 hospital v t e Kunduz Province Airlift Siege Harekate Yolo Karez Oqab 2009 airstrike Sahda Ehlm Gala-e Gorg Halmazag 2015 battle Hospital airstrike Hostage crisis 2016 battle Boz Qandahari Kunduz madrassa 2020 Major operations Mountain Viper Asbury Park 2006 Taliban offensive Perth Chora Firebase Anaconda Shewan Balamorghab Sabzak Derapet Doan Kunduz (2015) Omari Tarinkot Kunduz (2016) Boz Qandahari Darzab (2017) Farah Darzab (2018) Kunar (2019–2020) Ghazni 2021 Taliban offensive Zaranj Kunduz Herat Kandahar Lashkargah Kabul Airstrikes Sayyd Alma Kalay Uruzgan wedding Hyderabad Gora Prai Haska Meyna/Deh Bala Azizabad Wech Baghtu Granai Kunduz (2009) Uruzgan helicopter Sangin (2010) Mano Gai Baraki Barak Kapisa Kunar Kunduz hospital Sangin (2017) Nangarhar Kunduz madrassa Major insurgent attacks 2002 Kabul 2007 Attempted assassination of Dick Cheney S Korean hostage Baghlan sugar factory 2008 Kandahar Spin Boldak Khost Kabul Indian embassy Kabul hotel 2009 Kabul raids Kabul NATO Kandahar Kabul Indian embassy Kabul UN guesthouse Camp Chapman 2010 Kabul (Jan) Kabul (Feb) Kabul (May) Nadahan 2011 Logar Kabul hotel Nimruz Zabul Kabul (Sep) Kabul & Mazar-e-Sharif 2012 Raids Camp Bastion FOB Salerno Attack 2013 Farah Kabul court Kabul palace Jalalabad Herat 2014 Kabul restaurant Kabul hotel Herat Indian consulate Bagram 1st Paktika 2nd Paktika Kabul school 2015 Jalalabad Kabul hotel Kabul Parliament Khost Kabul police Kabul Airport Kabul NATO Ghazni Kandahar Kabul Spanish embassy Bagram 2016 Jalalabad Kabul NDS Kunduz-Takhar highway Kabul Canadian embassy Wardak Kabul Hazara protest Kabul University Kabul Defense Ministry Mazar-i-Sharif Bagram 2017 Bombings (Jan) Kabul hospital Camp Shaheen Kabul (May) Herat (Jun) June Lashkargah Herat (Aug) Gardez & Ghazni Kabul & Ghor Kabul Shi'ite 2018 Kabul hotel Jalalabad (Save the Children) Kabul ambulance Kabul (Mar) Kabul (22 Apr) Kabul (30 Apr) Jalalabad (Jul) Baghlan Kabul (Sep) Jalalabad (Sep) 2019 Maidan Shar Camp Shorabak Kabul mosque Kabul Defense Ministry Ghazni Kabul office Farah Kabul police Kabul wedding Kabul (Sep) Charikar & Kabul Qalat Jalalabad Haska Meyna Bagram 2020 Kabul (6 Mar) Kabul gurdwara May June July August Jalalabad September October November Kabul University December 2021 Jan-Aug Kabul school Spin Boldak Massacres Dasht-i-Leili Shinwar Nangar Narang Maywand Khataba Badakhshan Kandahar FOB Delhi Other U.S. urination incident Quran burning protests Insurgents' bodies U.S.–Afghan agreement United States–Taliban deal U.S. withdrawal 2011–2016 2020–2021 Peace process 2021 Kabul airlift

The **Sarposa Prison attack** was a raid on the [Sarposa Prison](/source/Sarposa_Prison) in [Kandahar](/source/Kandahar), [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan) by [Taliban](/source/Taliban) insurgents on June 13, 2008. One of the largest attacks by Afghan insurgents, the raid freed 400-1,000 prisoners.[2] As of 2008, prison administration was overseen by Abdul Qabir.[2]

## Followed unrest

In May 2008, 200 prisoners announced a [hunger strike](/source/Hunger_strike) and 47 of the captives physically stitched their mouths shut to protest detention conditions. The strike ended when the [Afghan parliament](/source/National_Assembly_of_Afghanistan) agreed to review their detentions; as some of them had been held for two years without charge, or faced summary trials they felt were unfair.[2]

## Raid

On June 13, a [suicide fuel truck](/source/Tanker_truck) drove right into the front gates of Sarposa prison at approximately 21:00 after [nightfall](/source/Dusk).[3] Although the truck failed to explode upon impact, the Taliban quickly improvised, igniting its fuel with an [RPG](/source/Rocket-propelled_grenade), causing a massive explosion that breached the gate. Taliban fighters then stormed the prison, overpowering the surprised guards.[4] A second [suicide bomber](/source/Suicide_bomber) was alleged to have walked to the back gates of the prison in the confusion, and detonated the explosives he was carrying,[2] although later reports suggested the rear wall had not been breached.[5] Insurgents fired rockets at the prison as the Taliban fighters broke in and a 30-minute battle began.

Over the next thirty minutes, a team of thirty insurgents aboard motorcycles fired [AK-47s](/source/AK-47) and RPGs into the prison. Several ran into the prison and began freeing prisoners[3] who fled through the breached walls, and disappeared into nearby [pomegranate](/source/Pomegranate) and grape groves.[2]

## Outcome

Wali Karzai, the brother of President [Hamid Karzai](/source/Hamid_Karzai) who was president of Kandahar's provincial council, said the prison held about 350 suspected Taliban fighters.

He said "all" the prisoners escaped and that "There is no one left."[6] The prisoners were aided by minibuses waiting for them outside the prison during the attack. Some 390 of the detainees were suspected Taliban fighters. Reports of people killed in the attack included police officers, 8 prisoners and the 2 suicide bombers.[1][7]

Following reports of the mass escape, Canadian troops stationed at [Kandahar Airfield](/source/Kandahar_Airfield) were deployed to secure the prison[8] and [ISAF](/source/International_Security_Assistance_Force) troops began a door-to-door search through Kandahar seeking escapees.[3] ISAF forces became involved in several skirmishes that resulted in 20 Taliban deaths in Tabin, 16 in Khohak, and [Arghandab](/source/Arghandab%2C_Afghanistan), with 2 Afghan and 4 British soldiers killed in separate incidents,[9] which led up to the [Battle of Arghandab](/source/Battle_of_Arghandab_(2008)).

The Sarposa prison break and its aftermath dealt a significant blow to the Afghan government, prompting President [Karzai](/source/Hamid_Karzai) to issue threats of sending Afghan troops into Pakistan to pursue Taliban leaders hiding there. In response to the debacle, the frustrated Karzai replaced both the provincial police chief and the governor of Kandahar. [Tooryalai Wesa](/source/Toryalai_Wesa), a [Barakzai](/source/Barakzai) with close ties to the Karzai family, was appointed as the new governor. Concerned about the worsening situation in southern Afghanistan, General [David McKiernan](/source/David_D._McKiernan) redirected the [2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment](/source/2nd_Battalion%2C_2nd_Infantry_Regiment) to bolster defenses in western Kandahar.[10]

## See also

- [Sarposa Prison tunneling escape](/source/Sarposa_Prison_tunneling_escape)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NYTimes_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NYTimes_1-1) [Gall, Carlotta](/source/Carlotta_Gall) (June 14, 2008). ["Taliban Free 1,200 Inmates in Attack on Afghan Prison"](https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/14/world/asia/14kandahar.html?_r=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved 2008-06-15.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-time_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-time_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-time_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-time_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-time_2-4) [Time magazine](/source/Time_magazine), "[Taliban Militants Storm Afghan Jail](http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1814433,00.html?xid=feed-cnn-topics&iref=werecommend)", June 13, 2008[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sask_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sask_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-sask_3-2) Schmidt, Doug. [Saskatoon Star Phoenix](/source/Saskatoon_Star_Phoenix), [1,000 inmates escape from Afghan prison after blast](http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/story.html?id=6e488878-4df4-4b13-95d9-32bf48c263e4), June 13, 2008

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Malkasian, Carter (2021). [*The American War in Afghanistan: A History*](https://books.google.com/books?id=VPQuEAAAQBAJ). Oxford University Press. p. 208-209. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-755077-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-755077-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Panetta, Alexander. [Canadian Press](/source/Canadian_Press), [Canadian troops encounter bomb, exchange gunfire on patrol in Kandahar City](http://www.cjad.com/news/56/738924), June 17, 2008

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Hundreds escape in Afghan prison attack"](https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25146271). *NBC News*. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 2022-08-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Starr, Barbara; Peikar, Farhad (June 14, 2008). ["Taliban fighters escape after Afghan prison bombing"](http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/06/13/afghanistan.taliban/index.html). [CNN](/source/CNN). Retrieved 2008-06-15.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-star_8-0)** Panetta, Alexander. [Toronto Star](/source/Toronto_Star), [Kandahar prison attacked](https://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/443120), June 13, 2008

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Afghan, NATO troops kill 36 Taliban near Kandahar](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AFGHAN_VIOLENCE?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Malkasian, Carter (2021). [*The American War in Afghanistan: A History*](https://books.google.com/books?id=VPQuEAAAQBAJ). Oxford University Press. p. 209. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-755077-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-755077-9).

v t e Controversies surrounding people captured during the war on terror Guantanamo Bay detention camp Suicide attempts Human rights violations Quran desecration controversy Boycott of military tribunals Former captives alleged to have (re)joined insurgency Hunger strikes Force feeding Homicide accusations Juvenile prisoners Seton Hall reports CIA black site operations Enhanced interrogation techniques Ghost detainees Waterboarding Destruction of interrogation tapes Music torture Prison and detainee abuse Abu Ghraib Bagram Canadian Afghan detainee issue Black jail Salt Pit Bruce Jessen James Elmer Mitchell Operating Base Ripley Prison uprisings and escapes Battle of Qala-i-Jangi Battle of Abu Ghraib 2008 Sarposa Prison mass escape Basra prison incident Afghan escapes Iraqi escapes Deaths in custody Dilawar Jamal Nasser Abdul Wahid Habibullah Abed Hamed Mowhoush Manadel al-Jamadi Nagem Hatab Baha Mousa Fashad Mohamed Muhammad Zaidan Gul Rahman Abdul Wali Dasht-i-Leili massacre Tortured Abu Zubaydah Mohamedou Ould Salahi Mohammed al-Qahtani Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri Binyam Mohamed Khalid El-Masri Forced disappearances Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi Abdu Ali al Haji Sharqawi Mohammed Omar Abdel-Rahman Tariq Mahmood Hassan Ghul Hiwa Abdul Rahman Rashul Reports and legal developments Ryder Report Fay Report Taguba Report Church Report Detainee Treatment Act Hamdan v. Rumsfeld Military Commissions Act of 2006 Senate Armed Services Committee Report Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture Related media The Road to Guantánamo Taxi to the Dark Side Standard Operating Procedure Torturing Democracy Enemy Combatant The Report

v t e War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Overview Prelude History Timeline Operations Logistics Impact International Security Assistance Force Taliban insurgency Drone strikes in Pakistan Withdrawal of U.S. troops 2011–2016 2020–2021 Resolute Support Mission Evacuation Casualties and losses Afghan forces Civilian 2001–2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 Coalition United States United Kingdom Canadian German Australian Norwegian Aviation incidents Timeline 2001 Bombing of Kandahar Fall of Mazar-i-Sharif Siege of Kunduz Herat uprising Fall of Kabul Battle of Tarinkot Fall of Kandahar Battle of Qala-i-Jangi Dasht-i-Leili massacre Battle of Shawali Kowt Battle of Sayyd Alma Kalay Battle of Tora Bora 2002 –2006 2002 Guantanamo Bay Uruzgan bombing Kabul bombing 2003 Pakistan Embassy in Kabul attack 2004 2005 2006 Taliban offensive 2007 Shinwar shooting Hyderabad airstrike Nangar Khel incident Helmand airstrikes Baghlan bombing Bagram bombing South Korean hostage crisis 2008 Haska Meyna airstrike Azizabad airstrike Wech Bagtu airstrike Kabul Indian embassy bombing Kabul S Hotel attack Kidnapping of David Rohde Sarposa attack Kandahar bombing Spin Boldak bombing 2009 Granai airstrike Kunduz airstrike Narang raid February Kabul raids Kabul Indian embassy bombing Kandahar bombing NATO HQ bombing Camp Chapman attack Battle of Sabzak 2010 January Kabul attack Raid on Khataba February Kabul attack Uruzgan attack Sangin airstrike Maywand murders Tarok Kolache Nadahan bombing May Kabul bombing Badakhshan massacre Operation Halmazag 2011 Mano Gai airstrike Sarposa prison escape Bin Laden raid Logar bombing I-C Hotel Kabul attack Nimruz bombing Zabul bombing Chinook shootdown Helmand killing Pakistani border attack Ashura bombings 2012 Order of battle Urination video Kapisa airstrike Quran burning protests April attacks Forward Operating Base Delhi massacre Kandahar massacre September Camp Bastion raid Shesh Aba raid Body pictures 2013 Farah attack June Kabul bombings Presidential palace attack Herat U.S. consulate attack Jalalabad Indian consulate bombing 2014 Kabul S Hotel attack Herat Indian consulate attack Bagram bombing Paktika bombing Yahyakhel bombing December Kabul bombings Atiqullah Raufi assassination 2015 Park Palace attack Kabul Parliament attack Khost bombing April Jalalabad bombing 7 August Kabul attacks 10 August Kabul bombing 22 August Kabul bombing Ghazni prison escape Battle of Kunduz Hospital airstrike Kandahar Airport bombing Kabul Spanish Embassy attack Bagram bombing 2016 Nangarhar offensive Operation Omari April Kabul attack Kunduz-Takhar highway hostage crisis Kabul Canadian Embassy convoy bombing 30 June bombings July Kabul bombing Janikhel offensive AUoA attack September Kabul attacks Battle of Tarinkot Battle of Kunduz Battle of Boz Qandahari Mazar-i-Sharif German consulate bombing Bagram bombing 2017 January bombings Sangin airstrike March Kabul attack Nangarhar airstrike Camp Shaheen attack May Kabul bombing June Herat bombing Battle of Tora Bora June Lashkargar bombing August Herat attack 17 October attacks 20 October attacks 28 December Kabul bombing 2018 I-C Hotel Kabul attack STC Jalalabad attack Kabul ambulance bombing March Kabul bombing Kunduz madrassa attack 22 April Kabul bombing 30 April Kabul bombings Battle of Farah July Jalalabad bombing Battle of Darzab Ghazni offensive September Jalalabad bombing 2019 Maidan Shar attack Camp Shorabak attack 2019 Kabul mosque bombing 1 July Kabul attack Ghazni bombing 28 July Kabul bombing July Farah bombing 7 August Kabul bombing 17 August Kabul bombing 2 & 5 September Kabul bombings 17 September bombings Qalat bombing Jalalabad suicide bombing Haska Meyna mosque bombing Bagram attack 2020 6 March Kabul shooting Kabul gurdwara attack May attacks June attacks July attacks August attacks Jalalabad prison September attacks October attacks November attacks Kabul University attack December attacks 2021 Attacks Taliban offensive Kabul school bombing Battle of Kandahar Fall of Herat Battle of Lashkargah Capture of Zaranj Fall of Kabul Kunduz mosque bombing Kandahar bombing 2021 Kabul airlift Operation Allies Refuge Operation Pitting Operation Devi Shakti Kabul airport attack August 29 drone strike Aftermath Recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Republican insurgency Islamic State–Taliban conflict Afghan frozen assets War crimes ICC investigation Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission UK Afghan Unlawful Killings inquiry Australian Brereton Inquiry War crimes by the Taliban Kunduz hospital airstrike Kandahar massacre Torture Bagram torture and prisoner abuse Salt Pit Peace process Afghan peace process Afghan peace groups Tabassum movement Enlightenment Movement Uprising for Change People's Peace Movement 2021–2022 Afghan protests Reactions Afghan War documents leak International public opinion Opposition Protests To the fall of Kabul Memorials London Category Multimedia Wikinews Portal

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