Ramadi (Iraq): A local Al-Qaeda chief known as "Imad the killer" escaped in a pre-dawn breakout from an Iraqi police station today, triggering a wild shootout that left 13 militants and Iraqi policemen dead.

Imad Ahmed Farhan, who police say has admitted to murdering at least 100 people, is on the run with two other "emirs" or local leaders of Al-Qaeda who broke out of their cells in a police station in the western city of Ramadi.

"During an exchange of fire between prisoners trying to escape and police officers in the station, six policemen and seven prisoners were killed," provincial police chief Tareq al-Dulaimi said.

The three prisoners managed to flee but one was recaptured, Dulaimi said, adding that another four policemen were wounded in the shootout that occurred at 2 am (2300 GMT yesterday) at Forsan police station in the centre of Ramadi.

Ramadi police have imposed a curfew in the city following the incident, an interior ministry source said.

The source said a prisoner wanting to go to the toilet was escorted from his cell by a policeman at 2 am, kicking off what appeared to be a well-planned operation.

"The policeman was overpowered by the inmate who seized his weapon and shot him," the source said.

"He then opened up the other cells and and he and his fellow prisoners grabbed weapons from the police station's armoury, opening fire on the policemen."

The prisoners battled police for two hours before officers managed to regain control of the station, a local police official said. The recaptured prisoner suffered minor injuries.
Source : PTI