Guantanamo hunger strike shows signs of tapering off

MIAMI – The long-running hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay may be showing the first signs of tapering off.

U.S. officials say the number of men refusing meals has dropped from 106 to 104. The decline reported Thursday is the first since the military began releasing a daily tally in March. A prison spokesman says he expects more men to resume regular meals in coming days

Navy Capt. Robert Durand says nearly all of the 166 prisoners at the U.S. base in Cuba took part this week in a meal of lamb to break the fast for the Muslim holy period of Ramadan earlier this week.

Lawyers for prisoners dispute the military's criteria to designate prisoners as hunger strikers and say the protest will go on until men start to be released.