KABUL - The US has shown readiness to fully implement the bilateral agreement on the Bagram detention centre following heavy criticism from President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan delegation sent to investigate the prison, officials said Thursday.
"Some of the prisoners are still under US custody that should be transferred [to Afghan authority]. The US side has shown readiness for the transfer," Afghan military police commander and Bagram Detention Center chief Gen. Ghulam Farooq said.
A delegation sent by Karzai to investigate the US part of the prison reported back on Wednesday that the agreement signed in March on transferring Bagram prison to Afghanistan "has not been fully implemented by the Americans with instances of serious breach of the agreement noticed", a statement from Karzai's office said.
Karzai ordered immediate action be taken on two points, according to the statement.
These orders are to free all inmates that need to be released under Afghanistan's applicable laws and the progress be reported back to the President on Thursday (today), and secondly that all those imprisoned by the Americans since the March agreement was signed, who do not meet conditions for release, must be transferred to Afghan side without delay.
The delegation sent to investigate and meet with US officials included Farooq, the Attorney General, and the Deputy Minister of Defense.
The Americans transferred around 3,000 prisoners to Afghan authority in September, within the six month timeframe allowed in the agreement. However, the US retained custody of another 600 inmates it considered "high risk".
According to reports, as many as 20 prisoners detained by US forces and accused of having ties with the insurgency were released from Bagram and Pul-e-Charkhi detention centers recently.
"I was not against the government when I was arrested and I am not against even now, I want to live in peace," one of the released prisoners told TOLOnews.
There are fears that released inmates suspected of insurgent links will return to the insurgency. (Tolo News)