Teen Afghan Prisoners Claim Abuse at US Site

Miffed Afghan president accuses US of human rights abuses

(NEWSER) - Hamid Karzai today demanded that the US give up control of its prison in Bagram by the end of the month, over what his office called "many cases of violations of Afghan Constitution … and human rights." It's a familiar demand—Afghan officials announced they had a deal to transfer the prison in 2010, but it never happened. Analysts tell the AFP that Karzai may be bringing it up again because he's miffed that the Taliban apparently intends to hold peace talks without him . More»

(NEWSER) - Afghanistan’s prison system, including the American-run Bagram facility, needs a complete overhaul, according to a new US military review. The current system, which has a dreadful reputation with both human rights advocates and Afghan civilians, houses radical inmates with more moderate prisoners. The offensive in the southern part of the country is likely to increase the population of the already-jammed facilities, where extremists are busily recruiting petty criminals, the New York Times reports. More»

New Bagram complex marks intention to hold prisoners abroad for years to come

(NEWSER) - The Pentagon is planning to build a huge new detention complex in Afghanistan, reports the New York Times, acknowledging that the US expects to hold prisoners there for many years to come. The 40-acre, $60-million facility at Bagram Air Force Base will replace the existing makeshift prison in a converted aircraft hangar, where more than 600 prisoners are held in wire pens; some have been in the deteriorating facility as long as five years. More»

Afghan National Security Force desperate to root out infiltrators

(NEWSER) - Afghan military officials have begun ordering soldiers to move any family they have in Pakistan out of the country, or else leave the military, in a desperate attempt to rid their ranks of Taliban infiltrators. While those orders haven't yet been translated into an official nationwide policy, they represent just how serious the problem of Taliban sleepers has become, the Washington Post reports. Officials have also created a "special reconnaissance group" to investigate what soldiers do on leave—particularly if they head to Pakistan. More»

Hamid Karzai is in Pakistan today to discuss negotiations

(NEWSER) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Pakistan today, one day after telling the Wall Street Journal that his country has entered into three-way peace talks with the Taliban and the US. Karzai is in Pakistan to discuss the negotiations and request that country's help; Islamabad's cooperation is necessary, since Taliban fighters have reportedly been receiving support from Pakistan, the New York Times notes. The recent talks signal a breakthrough, considering the Taliban has up until now insisted it would not negotiate with Karzai's "puppet regime." More»