Human Rights groups have expressed deep concern about the two-month-old hunger strike by Guantanamo Bay prisoners, and claim the US military is understating the number of those involved in the protest.
The military say 26 prisoners at the Camp X-Ray detention centre at a US naval base in Cuba, are on hunger strike but their lawyers insist the figure exceeds 200.
The strike that began on August 8th over conditions and lack of legal rights is the most widespread of a handful of such protests since the prison camp opened in January 2002.
US Army Lt Col Jeremy Martin, a Guantanamo spokesman, said 26 detainees were taking part in a "voluntary fast," including 22 hospitalized for "involuntary feedings" involving food given through a nasal tube and fluids given intravenously.
Some rights activists have criticised the force feeding. Lt Col Martin said the number peaked at 131 last month and has since steadily declined.
"The detainees are all clinically stable, closely monitored by medical personnel to ensure that they don't harm themselves - and will continue to receive appropriate nutrition, fluids and excellent medical care," he added.
Amnesty International rejected the account. "Even the language that they're using is totally indicative of the fact they're trying to minimise this," said Amnesty International official Jumana Musa.
"What is a 'voluntary fast'? This didn't start because of Ramadan (the current Islamic holy month in which Muslims fast). That's a voluntary fast. This is a hunger strike, which is basically people pledging to starve themselves to death."
The Red Cross in Geneva said: "There is a hunger strike, the situation is serious, and we are following it with concern." The hunger strike is the latest controversy between the US government and human rights groups over the camp, which activists call a blight on the US human rights record.
The New York-based Centre for Constitutional Rights, along with affiliated lawyers, represents more than 200 detainees at Guantanamo. Its lawyer Barbara Olshansky said her group estimates about 210 prisoners are taking part in the hunger strike, and accused the military of deliberately under-stating the strike's scope.
Some 505 detainees have been held in the prison, many for more than three years, and just four have been charged with offences relating to US President George W Bush's "war on terrorism".
Human rights groups have denounced the indefinite detentions and treatment they say amounts to torture. Most detainees were picked up in Afghanistan after the United States invaded in 2001 to oust the Taliban government and dislodge al Qaeda bases.