U.S. To Handover Bagram Prison To Afghanistan

Afghan National Army soldiers, seen clad in prison uniforms in the background, stand in line with their comrades in military fatigues during a ceremony handing over the Bagram prison to Afghan authorities.

The US military is handing over to the Afghan government the only detention facility in the country that was under American control. The transfer comes a year after the two sides initially agreed on the handover.

A transfer ceremony was scheduled for Monday at the Parwan Detention Facility, which is next to the US-run Bagram military base north of Kabul.

The US was supposed to fully hand over the facility last September after signing an agreement to do so a year ago.
But the transfer was held up pending a final deal between the US and the Afghans over the release of dangerous prisoners.

That deal was struck late last week and under it, prisoners considered dangerous would not be released from the detention centre.

March 25, 2013