Guantanamo prisoners engaged in hunger strike

Pentagon had to admit a hunger strike in Guantanamo prison but declined to name the reason of it. Taking into consideration news, coming from Guantanamo Bay in the recent time, one can only guess what kind of reasons there should be.

Some 50 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have declared they are on a hunger strike, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman was quoted as saying by the AP Thursday.

They went on strike three days ago, spokesman Bryan Whitman said. Some have already begun eating again, he said. The spokesman said he did not know why they went on strike and said the health of the striking detainees is being monitored.

The Pentagon's version of this incident contrasted somewhat from the accounts of two Afghans released from the facility for terrorist suspects earlier this week. On Wednesday, they claimed that more than about 180 Afghans were on a hunger strike to protest alleged mistreatment at the facility at a U.S. military base in Cuba.

Habir Russol and Moheb Ullah Borekzai, who said they left the prison camp on Cuba on Monday and were flown to Afghanistan before being freed, said they did not participate in the hunger strike. They did not say how they knew others were refusing to eat.

Russol said 180 Afghan prisoners "are not eating or drinking." He and Borekzai estimated the men were in the 14th or 15th day of their fast.

Borekzai later told The Associated Press the detainees were protesting because "some of these people say they were mistreated during interrogation. Some say they are innocent."

Late June a Russian formerly held at Guantanamo prison camp filed a suit against the US government claiming that Guantanamo prisoners were tortureв physically ang morally.