An inmate in a Baghdad prison grabbed an assault rifle from a guard today and opened fire, killing eight people, the Interior Ministry said.
One American soldier was injured in the attempted prison break, the US military said.
The prisoner fired indiscriminately after grabbing an AK-47, killing four guards and four inmates, said Iraqi army Brig. Gen. Jalil al-Mehamadawi. The Interior Ministry said one guard and three prisoners were wounded.
The US military's account was slightly different. A statement by Sgt. Keith Robinson said "it was reported that 16 prisoners attempted to escape the facility after first storming the armory and obtaining an undetermined number of weapons."
Robinson said in addition to the eight deaths that one US soldier and five prisoners were injured.
Guards overtook the gunman and restrained him, al-Mehamadawi said. The prison was a Justice Ministry facility that also housed foreigners, officials said.
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