Britain transfers prisoners to Afghan custody to defuse a rights row

Britain has succeeded in handing 10 prisoners to Afghan custody to defuse a row over their rights.

The detainees were among 92 held for up to 14 months at Camp Bastion, but could not be moved after a High Court ruling.

But the MoD won a new ruling that people who gave consent can be transferred to Afghan custody. Within hours the first 10 were moved out of Camp Bastion last night.

The British Embassy in Kabul said that more transfers of detainees who have given their consent would follow in the coming days.

“The UK government is pleased that a UK court has approved the transfer into Afghan custody of those UK captured detainees who have given their consent,” it said.