OTTAWA (AFP) - Canada's foreign affairs minister on Thursday pledged four million dollars to rebuild Afghanistan's Sarpoza Prison, damaged in a Taliban attack mid-month that allowed hundreds of inmates to escape.

"Canada is committed to working with local Afghan authorities to ensure that Sarpoza Prison is rebuilt as quickly as possible," Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson said in a statement.

Half of the funding would be directed to support urgently needed repairs resulting from the attack on the prison, including rebuilding of its gates, walls, and towers, he said.

The remaining funds would be used to upgrade the jail's infirmary, electrical installations and flooring; purchase of uniforms; deliver human rights training to guards; and general maintenance at the prison.

Located on the western edge of Kandahar City, in southern Afghanistan, the prison is a regional, multi-level security facility that can accommodate up to 2,000 inmates.

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