Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ? Ethiopia conceded for the first time Tuesday that it detained 41 suspected terrorists from 17 countries but defended the action as part of the international war on terror groups and denied reports the prisoners were held incommunicado.

The statement came a week after The Associated Press reported that terrorism suspects had been transferred from Kenya to Somalia and then to Ethiopia. Ethiopian officials at the time denied any suspects were in custody, but U.S. officials said they had questioned some detainees.

Human rights groups have called the detentions and transfers a violation of international law. The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has not been granted access to the detainees despite having sought meetings for the last month.

Ethiopia sent troops into Somalia at the end of last year to defeat an Islamic militia that was threatening to overthrow the U.N.-backed interim Somali government, which is struggling to exert control over the country. Extremists linked to al-Qaida fought on behalf of the Islamists.

“Suspected international terrorists have been and are still being captured by the joint forces of the transitional federal government of Somalia and Ethiopia,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Twenty-nine of the suspects have been ordered released by an Ethiopian military court and five already have been freed, the statement said. Ethiopia said only 12 foreign detainees would remain in custody after the next round of releases.