Prisoners escape from U.S. base

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 11 (UPI) -- Four prisoners, described as "dangerous enemy combatants," have escaped from the Bagram U.S. air base in Afghanistan, which houses al-Qaida suspects.

Lt. Col. Jerry O'Hara, spokesman at the based located north of the capital Kabul, would not say how the four escaped but that efforts were under way to recapture them, the BBC reported. The base holds hundreds of detainees.

The BBC report said as far as it is known, this is the first time anyone has escaped from an American military base inside Afghanistan since U.S.-led forces overthrew the Taliban regime in 2001.

Some reports quoting Afghan sources said all four escaped detainees are Arabs.

Monday's escape came as the U.S. military confirmed it had found the body of a U.S. Navy seal who went missing two weeks ago along with three colleagues. Two others were found dead earlier. The fourth was rescued.