Egyptian security forces thwarted an escape attempt by inmates at Demo prison in Damanhour, southwest of Cairo, on Wednesday.
A number of inmates set their blankets on fire, then tried to escape the prison. However, defense forces were able to put out the fire, and the prison was surrounded by police and the military, blocking all escape routes.
The attempt was made in the wake of fighting between prisoners, in which one man suffered a serious chest injury. He was transferred to a Fayoum hospital for treatment.
Disturbances have been common in Egyptian prisons since the 25 January revolution, which led to the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak. Observers blame the ongoing chaos inside prisons on a declaration from former Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdy that those inmates who had escaped prison during the revolution and who had served half of their sentences would be released. However, the ministry has since said that the decision did not apply to all inmates.
Official reports revealed recently that some officials at the Interior Ministry were involved in opening prisons on 28 January, in an attempt to create chaos in the absence of security forces.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
