BAGHDAD
Iraqi authorities have announced the closure of Abu Ghraib Prison, made infamous by mass prisoner abuses committed by U.S. forces following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the country.
"The Ministry of Justice has transferred all 2400 inmates [of Abu Ghraib] to other detention facilities in northern and central Iraq," Justice Minister Hassan al-Shammari said in a Tuesday statement.
The minister attributed the closure of Abu Ghraib to "precautionary measures," noting the notorious prison's location "in a hot area."
Iraq has been shaken by protracted violence in recent months, with the area west of Baghdad – where the prison is located – being particularly volatile.
Abu Ghraib had functioned as a dreaded torture center under ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Following the 2003 invasion that ousted Hussein, the facility became a byword for prisoner abuse, with leaked photographs showing Iraqi detainees being humiliated by U.S. prison guards sparking an international outcry.
By Mahmoud al-Jabouri
englishnews@aa.com.tr
