Ahmed Siddiqui, 11, was captured in the central province of Ghazni on July 17 with his mother who was suspected to be planning a suicide attack. She was later accused of trying to kill US officials and is on trial in New York.

"We'll hand the child over to his family very soon," Spanta told reporters, without giving details.

The boy is being held by the attorney general's office in Kabul, government officials told AFP, also refusing to comment further.

New York-based Human Rights Watch this week urged the Afghan government to free the child, a US citizen.

The arrest of Aafia Siddique, on a 2004 US list of suspects with links to Al-Qaeda, was the first time in five years she had been seen publicly.

Her family and lawyers allege she had been held captive since disappearing -- possibly in a secret US or allied prison. US officials have denied the charge.