NEW YORK, March 16: At least 26 prisoners have died in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002 in what army and navy investigators have concluded or suspect were acts of criminal homicide, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing military officials. Investigators have closed their inquiries in 18 of those cases reviewed by the Army and Navy and have recommended them for prosecution or referred them to other agencies for action, the Times said.

Eight cases are still being probed but are listed by the Army as confirmed or suspected criminal homicides, the paper reported, citing officials. Only one of the deaths occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, notorious for a scandal over abuse meted out to detainees by United States soldiers.

Army officials told the Times that the killings took place both inside and outside detention areas, including at the point of capture in often violent battlefield conditions. The newspaper said the number of confirmed or suspected cases is much higher than any figure previously reported by the military and was provided to the Times after repeated inquiries.

The cases include at least four involving Central Intelligence Agency employees that are being reviewed by the Justice Department for possible prosecution, the New York Times said.—Reuters