Ten Afghan prisoners were handed over from U.S. to Afghan custody Tuesday under a program that has village elders supervising the prisoners after their release.

The program, called “Takhim-e-Solh” (or “Strengthening Peace”) requires the released prisoners to “swear allegiance to the government of Afghanistan” and register with one of the program’s field offices in Jalalabad, Gardez, Kandahar, Herat or Kunduz.

The prisoners then are released “under the care of their village elders.”

“Our hope is that these detainees leave with a respect and appreciation for U.S. and coalition forces that they can express to the other villagers,” Col. Rose Miller, commander of Task Force Guardian, was quoted as saying in the release.

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