 Meanwhile, as the U.S. forces wanted to question the captured foreign fighters about possible links with the al-Qaeda international jihadist network, the Afghans decided to transfer such prisoners to Qala-i-Jangi ("the war fortress" in Persian), a 19th-century fortress near Mazar-i-Sharif that Dostum had previously used as his headquarters and ammunition depot.On November 24, between 300 and 500 foreign suspects were transported on flatbed trucks to the fortress, now turned into a prison.The prisoners had not been searched, and some had concealed weapons during the surrender.