Afghan delegation visits Guantanamo Bay prison

KABUL, Afghanistan — Officials say an Afghan delegation has visited the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to discuss the proposed transfer of five Taliban prisoners to the tiny Gulf state of Qatar.

The deal, which has not yet been approved by the U.S., is meant as an incentive for the Taliban to participate in peace talks.

A senior Afghan official and a former American official familiar with the negotiations said Saturday that the delegation visited the prison this past week. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The delegation could not have visited the prison without U.S. approval, but a spokeswoman for the White House national security council declined comment.