KABUL, Jan. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- A U.S. soldier accused of mistreating Afghan detainees was sentenced to four months in prison, U.S. military said Saturday.

    "Sentencing was announced yesterday in Bagram airfield in the court-martial of a U.S. soldier accused of punching detainees in the chest, arms and shoulders at a forward operating base in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, in July," U.S. military said in a press release.

    "Spc. James R. Hayes was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to maltreat and two counts of maltreatment. He was sentenced to reduction in rank to private (E-1), total forfeiture of all pay and allowances for four months and confinement for four months," it added.

    "Hayes is one of two soldiers accused of striking two detainees.The second soldier involved in this incident will undergo a court-martial Jan. 30," it said.

    Hayes was assigned to Company C, 926th Engineer Battalion when the incident occurred. He is held in custody at Bagram Airfield pending transfer to Kuwait for detention.

    According to the report, there are 23 U.S.-run detention centers in Afghanistan in which more than 400 Afghans suspected of having relations with Taliban were kept. Enditem