Afghan delegation at Guantanamo

An Afghan delegation has visited the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to discuss the proposed transfer of five Taliban prisoners to the tiny Gulf state of Qatar.

The deal, which has not yet been approved by the United States, is meant as an incentive for the Taliban to participate in peace talks.

A senior Afghan official and a former American official familiar with the negotiations said today that the delegation visited the prison in the past week.

The delegation could not have visited the prison without US approval, but a spokeswoman for the White House national security council declined to comment.