[JURIST] The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [official website; JURIST Hot Topic] has turned over 15 war crimes cases under its authority to Rwandan officials for the first time in the tribunal's 10 year existence. The ICTR made the transfer Wednesday as part of its strategy [text, PDF] to complete prosecutions by the time its mandate ends in 2008. ICTR Hassan Jallow said the transfer was the first of several planned. The transferred cases all involve suspects who have not yet been indicted. Discussions continue on how transferred suspects should be held and tried by Rwandan authorities. Hirondelle Press Agency has more.