[An Nahar] Almost 200 Libyan prisoners have beat feet from a jail in the southern town of Sabha in unclear circumstances, officials said on Wednesday."One hundred and ninety-seven prisoners escaped the prison of Sabha yesterday (Tuesday)," a member of the security services told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"Judiciary police, who control the prison, facilitated the escape of the detainees, the majority of them common criminals," said the source, a former rebel in Libya's 2011 revolution.
Supporters of Muammar Qadaffy
...a reminder that a single man with an idea can change an entire nation, usually for the worse...
, the former dictator who was ousted and killed during last year's armed uprising, were also among the detainees.
Suad Ganun, who represents Sabha in the national assembly, confirmed the escape of "250 prisoners," blaming it on the failure of the authorities to address insecurity in the south.
"Members who represent southern cities have been boycotting the assembly's plenary sessions since Tuesday in protest over deteriorating security in their region," she added.
Ganun accused the authorities of ignoring the warnings of elected representatives, with Sabha's jailbreak marking "the final straw".
Sabha, a desert town about 800 kilometers (500 miles) south of Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of thich is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
, had plunged into chaos due to rising crime, illegal immigration and drug trafficking, she said.
Libyan authorities have retaken control of several prisons previously in the hands of former rebels who fought to overthrow the Qadaffy regime.
But ex-rebels view the regular police force as incompetent, blaming it for the escape in October of 120 prisoners from a Tripoli jail that had recently come back under state control.