List of Guantanamo detainees who were previously Taliban prisoners

Guantanamo detainees previously imprisoned by the Taliban

Industry	Detainment / War on Terror
Founded	2002
Area served	Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Cuba
Products	Detention and interrogation of suspected enemy combatants

Since 2002, the United States has detained nine individuals previously imprisoned by the Taliban as enemy combatants at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in Cuba amid the War on Terror. These men had been incarcerated by the Taliban due to opposition or suspicions of espionage. The U.S. authorities held them under the belief that they maintained connections with the Taliban or al-Qaeda.

The initial release occurred on March 9, 2004, when the first detainee was sent back to his home country without facing any terrorism-related accusations. Since then, private attorneys and advocacy organizations have endeavored to ensure comprehensive reviews of the remaining detainees' cases.

Background

During its rule over Afghanistan, the Taliban suppressed dissent and provided sanctuary to militants such as Osama bin Laden. Numerous suspects were confined in Kandahar prison, including five of the nine individuals discussed here, who are sometimes referred to as the Kandahar Five.

After the 2001 9/11 attacks, U.S. forces and their allies, notably the Northern Alliance, launched an invasion to dismantle Taliban control. In December 2001, the Northern Alliance liberated Kandahar prison, releasing approximately 1,500 inmates. Some detainees later transferred to Guantanamo testified that Northern Alliance fighters "sold" them to American forces.

The U.S. apprehended many men suspected of affiliations with the Taliban or al-Qaeda and transported them to Guantanamo Bay for interrogation aimed at disrupting terrorist activities. Among these captives were at least nine individuals who had previously been imprisoned by the Taliban. Clive Stafford Smith, legal director of London-based human rights organization Reprieve, which represents 39 detainees, characterized their situation as "Kafkaesque" and "horrifying."

In June 2007, Department of Defense spokesperson Commander Jeffrey Gordon justified retaining some detainees despite multiple releases without charges:

Ilkham Turdbyavich Batayev	Held as a kitchen servant by the Taliban.
Adil Uqla Hassan Al Nusayri
Abd Al Rahim Abdul Rassak Janko (Syria)	Detained by the Taliban in Kandahar on espionage allegations. His attorney Steve Sady from Portland, Oregon highlighted that he provided critical testimony about Taliban abuses and merited protection rather than imprisonment.
Jamal Udeen Al-Harith (UK)	Journeyed to Pakistan for a religious retreat; captured near Afghanistan's border by Taliban forces as a British spy due to his passport. Initially released by U.S. forces to the Red Cross but subsequently re-detained as an enemy combatant and transferred to Guantanamo. Freed on March 9, 2004, repatriated without charges.
Siddeeq Ahmad Siddeeq Noor Turkistani (Saudi Arabia)	Expelled from Saudi Arabia for drug offenses; imprisoned by Taliban in Kandahar accused of plotting against Osama bin Laden. He denies involvement and opposed both Taliban and al-Qaeda. Later released and returned to Saudi Arabia where he was detained for seven months.
Airat Vakhitov (Russia)	Escaped Russia for Tajikistan in 1999; coerced into Afghanistan by Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan members. Imprisoned in Kandahar as a suspected Russian spy. Released in February 2004; returned to Tatarstan facing suspicion and discrimination; currently works as a freelance writer under a pseudonym.
Abdul Hakim Bukhary (Saudi Arabia)	Detained by Taliban for supporting Northern Alliance commander Ahmad Shah Massoud. Welcomed U.S. forces initially but was subsequently interrogated and held.
Qari Hasan Ulla Peerzai
Arkan Mohammad Ghafil Al Karim (Iraq)	Deserted Iraqi Army; captured and tortured by Taliban. Asserted that his transfer to Guantanamo was intended to extract intelligence on Iraqi military before the invasion.
Rasul Kudayev (Russia)	Held by Taliban since 2000; injured during a prison uprising. Detained at Guantanamo where he reported experiencing torture. After release, arrested in Russia on controversial charges linked to the 2005 Nalchik raid.
Rashid Awad Rashid Al Uwaydah
Amin Ullah
Abdul Matin
Hamidullah	Template:Fix/category