US-led air strike kills 57 in IS-held prison (Lead)

Damascus June 27 (IANS) At least 57 inmates and guards were killed when a US-led air strike targeted a prison under Islamic State control in eastern Syria a monitor group said on Tuesday.

The air strike hit the prison in the city of Mayadeen in Syria s eastern province of Deir al-Zour on Monday said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Xinhua news agency reported.

It added that the prison used to be a house for one of the leaders of the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. It was captured by the IS and turned into a prison half of it for IS militants imprisoned by the group itself while the other half is for civilians captured by the IS.

The UK-based watchdog group said the toll in the strike could rise as there were many critically wounded people. Around 100 inmates were imprisoned in that jail said the Observatory.

--IANS
soni/vt