The US Department of Defense announced on Monday the resettlement of 11 Yemeni detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention center to Oman, reducing the number of detainees at the controversial facility to 15.
In a statement, the Pentagon expressed gratitude to Oman and other international partners for supporting efforts to responsibly decrease the Guantanamo population and work towards its closure.
The release follows last week’s repatriation of another detainee to Tunisia. Of the remaining 15 detainees, three are approved for transfer, three are under review for potential release, seven face charges, and two have been convicted and sentenced, according to the Department of Defense.
The Guantanamo Bay prison, established after the September 11, 2001, attacks, has long drawn criticism for its indefinite detention practices and allegations of human rights violations. At its peak, the facility housed nearly 800 detainees.
Outgoing President Joe Biden had pledged during his 2020 campaign to shut down Guantanamo, but with only weeks left in his term, the prison remains operational. Advocacy groups and UN experts continue to condemn it as a symbol of human rights abuses.
This latest transfer reflects ongoing US efforts to address the legacy of Guantanamo while navigating the complex challenges of resettlement and judicial processes.
