Eight bodies found in makeshift prison in Iraq

BAGHDAD: US troops killed three suspected militants from a helicopter before ground forces found eight bodies in a makeshift prison they had allegedly been running north of Baghdad.

The alert was sounded on Saturday by seven Iraqis who managed to escape the prison in Khan Bani Sa'ad near the town of Taji, about 30 km from Baghdad, and inform troops patrolling the area, a military statement said.

Troops in attack helicopters saw three armed men in a ditch and "after positively identifying the individuals as hostile enemy forces" fired on them, killing all three.

The seven who had escaped identified the three as their captors and led troops to the makeshift prison, the statement said.

"Soldiers found eight bodies believed to be of both Sunni and Shiite sect inside the makeshift prison, which the escapees identified as fellow prisoners," it said.

"Each had gunshot wounds to the head and showed obvious signs of torture."

The seven escapees, who also showed signs of torture, were admitted to a clinic.