Bagram Prison To Be Transferred To Afghan Control

Bagram prison (file photo)

A statement from Afghan President Hamid Karzai's office said today that Bagram prison, currently run by the United States-led international coalition, is to be handed over to Afghan control within a month.

According to the statement, Karzai issued the order after receiving a report detailing "many cases of violations of the Afghan Constitution and other applicable laws of the country, the relevant international conventions, and human rights" at the prison.

Karzai had previously tasked a commission in 2010 to work on the transfer of the prison and prisoners from the international coalition to Afghan authorities within a year, between January 2011 and January 2012.

But the statement said the commission was told to complete the full Afghan takeover of the prison within a month "so that any more breach of Afghan sovereignty can be avoided."

Bagram prison is located inside Bagram air base, the largest U.S. military base in the country.

The detainees at the prison include those suspected of having top roles in the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, or other militant groups.

with agency reports