WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Pentagon on Friday released a first batch of previously secret files documenting reported sightings of unidentified flying objects — some as far back as the 1940s — a move sought for decades by some Americans.

“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves,” Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement.

More than 160 files were released Friday on the website of the Defence Department, which officially refers to UFOs as “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” or UAPs.