The international Red Cross has made the first visit to Afghan prisoners held by the Taliban in the northwest of the country, the organization said Tuesday.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it visited three members of the Afghan security forces detained by the Taliban in Badghis province. The two visits took place last month, it said.

"This is the first time since the beginning of the current conflict that the ICRC has visited people detained by the armed opposition," said Reto Stocker, the head of the ICRC's delegation in Kabul. He called the visits a breakthrough.

The neutral agency does not publish the findings of its visits, but issues confidential recommendations to the detaining authorities or groups.

The ICRC regularly visits prisoners of war around the world to check on their conditions and treatment. It also helps prisoners keep in touch with their families.

The agency said it visits 136 places of detention in Afghanistan and has registered more than 16,000 prisoners since the U.S. invasion in 2001.

"We plan to conduct and repeat visits in other regions, and hope to visit people held by other armed opposition groups," Stocker said.