US releases dozens of Afghan detainees

Several dozen Afghan detainees were released from a jail on the main US military base in Afghanistan today after they were determined to no longer present a threat to security.

The 47 detainees were released from Bagram, about an hour’s drive north of the capital Kabul. The men were detained by the US military because they were suspected of involvement with the hard-line Taliban movement or with al-Qaida.

So far, 314 detainees have been released from Bagram in 13 batches and about 300-400 detainees remain, according to Subghatullah Mujadedi, head of the Reconciliation Commission, which had been pushing for the release.

“We are very hopeful to release all Afghan prisoners from US prisons,” Mujadedi said. He added that more than 100 Afghans are also being held in Guantanamo, Cuba.

Muhammad Ashraf, one of the released men, said he was arrested in his hometown of Kandahar and claimed to be innocent.

“For 18 months I was in jail,” he said. “I am innocent. But they held me for this long time.”

Another detainee, Pacha Khan, said he was treated well, allowed to pray and had time for sports. “There was no torture,” he said.

Concerns have been raised over the treatment of detainees at Bagram, however.

In 2002, two Afghans held at Bagram died after being beaten. Fifteen soldiers have faced charges for those deaths. A year later, another Afghan died while being held at a base in southern Helmand province, according to an autopsy report provided by the Defence Department.