Iraq plans mass detainee pardon, says top official

Basra: The Iraqi government is planning to release thousands of detainees as parts of national reconciliation efforts, a top Iraqi official said on Sunday.

"We believe this will contribute a great deal to improving the security situation in the country," said National Security Adviser Mowaffaq Al Rubaie.

The detainees who will benefit from Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki's "Pardon and Safety" plan would be coming from government prisons.

The number of detentions in Iraq has risen following intensified military operations this year. The Iraqi government has 24,000 detainees.

Critics say only a small proportion of those held are ever prosecuted and convicted.