US releases 11 Yemeni nationals held at Guantanamo Bay

 Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Islamabad (UrduPoint News Today/ Pakistan Point News - 11th Jan, 2025 ) The United States has released 11 Yemeni nationals held without charge at its controversial naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where they had been held without charge for more than two decades.

The Pentagon announced late Monday that the 11 men had been transferred to Oman.

The Biden administration has been pushing for the end of the facility for such prisoners without charge in its final weeks, and this step has been taken in this regard.

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“The United States appreciates the willingness of the Government of Oman and other partners to support U.S. efforts to responsibly reduce the prisoner population and ultimately close the Guantanamo Bay facility,” the Defense Department said in a statement.

“The latest transfers include Shaqawi al-Hajj, who went on hunger strikes to protest his 21-year imprisonment without charge, according to a U.S.-based constitutional rights group. He was subjected to severe torture and ill-treatment during his two years in detention.

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A week ago, the United States announced the return of another Guantanamo Bay detainee to Tunisia, following the release of 11 Yemeni nationals, bringing the total number of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay to 15.

Twenty years of detention without charges

The Guantanamo Bay prison was established under former US President George W. Bush. It was intended to hold prisoners captured during the US's so-called war on terror after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

According to human rights groups, at its peak, the notorious detention center held about 700 mostly Muslim men in allegedly brutal conditions.

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Outgoing President Joe Biden promised to try to close Guantanamo before his election in 2020, but he now has only a few days left in his term.

Successive administrations have tried, but have failed to close the prison.

Difficulties in finding suitable countries to repatriate prisoners have often been cited.

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Guantanamo's remaining prisoners

Many of those held at Guantanamo are from Yemen, a country dominated by the Iran-allied Houthi militant group after decades of war.

Of the remaining 15 prisoners, seven have been charged with war crimes, including involvement in the 9/11 attacks, and two have been convicted.

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But six have not yet been charged with any crime and are being considered for transfer to another country.