The U.S. military in Afghanistan has rejected charges by a United Nations human rights investigator that U.S.-led forces are illegally detaining and possibly torturing prisoners in the war-torn country.
The U.N.- appointed independent expert on human rights, Cherif Bassiouni, told journalists in Kabul foreign troops were arresting people without any legal process, detaining them, mistreating them and possibly torturing them.
But U.S. military officials rejected Mr. Bassiouni's allegations, saying U.S.-led forces do not arrest people, they detain illegal combatants who pose a security threat for Afghans.
The officials said all detainees in U.S. custody are treated humanely, in the spirit of the Geneva Convention.
The U.S. military has come under criticism from rights groups for its methods at detention centers in Afghanistan.