Afghanistan, US sign deal on handover of prison

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Associated Press

A convoy of joint U.S-Afghan military conducts a "Route Clearing Patrol", finding and removing roadside bombs on roads, in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan March 9, 2012. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

Afghan and U.S. military officials have signed a deal to transfer oversight of the main U.S. detention center in the country to the Afghan government within six months.

Friday's agreement is a key step toward a long-term pact to govern the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

The Afghan defense minister and the commander of U.S. forces in the country signed the memorandum. It sets a deadline for the transfer of some 3,000 Afghan detainees at the Parwan facility. The U.S. will still have access to the facility and will be able to block the release of detainees it thinks should continue to be held.

President Hamid Karzai had previously set Friday as the deadline for the handover.