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Afghanistan Accuses US, Britain of Running Illegal Detention Centers


FILE - Afghan President Hamid Karzai is shown during his final address to parliament in Kabul, March 15, 2014.
FILE - Afghan President Hamid Karzai is shown during his final address to parliament in Kabul, March 15, 2014.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused Britain and the United States of continuing to operate illegal detention centers in his country.

An Afghan government commission said Tuesday it found six detention facilities at coalition military bases in Kandahar and Helmand and recommended that detainees held at two facilities be handed over to Afghan authorities.

Commission leader General Ghalum Farooq Barakzai said the panel found six Afghan detainees at a British-run facility at Kandahar Air Field and 17 at a British detention facility at Camp Bastion in Helmand province.

He said no detainees were found at the American facilities but added that those facilities should no longer even exist.

"British officials told us that they released some detainees they thought were innocent and transferred those found guilty to Bagram," Barakzai said. "I do not think the detainees were captured in battlefield. I think there were brought from their homes."

AP reports that British and U.S. military officials had no immediate response when contacted for comment. In recent years, the coalition has transferred thousands of detainees to Afghan custody. Earlier this year, US and UK officials protested when Karzai ordered the release of dozens of suspects coalition officials considered dangerous.

AP contributed to this report.
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