US presses pause in the handover of Afghan detainees

The United States declined Monday to surrender an undisclosed number of detainees during the handover of a prison to Afghan control, said a spokesman for the American-led coalition in Afghanistan.

The handover of Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base was the linchpin in a larger agreement that outlines the gradual transfer of power from U.S. forces to Afghanistan as American troops prepare to withdraw.

Roughly 99% of the detainees in custody before the agreement was signed in March have been turned over to Afghan authorities, Jamie Graybeal, a spokesman for coalition, said by telephone.

"We have paused the transfer of the remaining detainees until our concerns are met," he said.

Graybeal declined to release the number of detainees still in U.S. custody, citing operational security.