3 al-Qaida suspects killed after escape in Yemen

SANAA, Yemen -- Yemeni officials say authorities have killed three men who were among nearly 60 suspected al-Qaida militants who escaped from prison this past week.

The officials say all three were awaiting execution in the Mukalla prison in southern Yemen, where inmates attacked guards, seized their weapons and escaped through a tunnel on Wednesday.

The three were killed during a chase Saturday. A medical official says two of them had been hit by gunfire, but the circumstances of the third man's death were unclear.

Another security official says an investigation of the breakout shows prisoners had mobile phones and digging equipment.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

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