US transfers 11 Guantanamo detainees to Yemen after more than two decades without charge
Share and Follow


WASHINGTON (AP) The Pentagon said Monday it had transferred 11 Yemeni men to Oman this week after holding them for more than two decades without charge at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The transfer was the latest and biggest push by the Biden administration in its final weeks to clear Guantanamo of the last remaining detainees there who were never charged with a crime.

The latest release brings the total number of men detained at Guantanamo to 15. That’s the fewest since 2002, when the George W. Bush administration turned Guantanamo into a detention site for the mostly Muslim men taken into custody around the world in what the U.S. called its “war on terror.” The U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and military and covert operations elsewhere followed the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida attacks.

The men in the latest transfer included Shaqawi al Hajj, who had undergone repeated hunger strikes and hospitalizations at Guantanamo to protest his 21 years in prison, preceded by two years of detention and torture in CIA custody, according to the U.S.-based Center for Constitutional Rights.

Rights groups and some lawmakers have pushed successive U.S. administrations to close Guantanamo or, failing that, release all those detainees never charged with a crime. Guantanamo held about 800 detainees at its peak.

The Biden administration and administrations before it said they were working on lining up suitable countries willing to take those never-charged detainees. Many of those stuck at Guantanamo were from Yemen, a country split by war and dominated by the Iran-allied Houthi militant group.

The sultanate of Oman, on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, did not acknowledge taking in the prisoners early Tuesday. However, the key Western ally has taken in over two dozen prisoners in the past since the founding of the prison.

The transfer announced Monday leaves six never-charged men still being held at Guantanamo, two convicted and sentenced inmates, and seven others charged with the 2001 attacks, the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, and 2002 bombings in Bali.

—-

Jon Gambrell contributed from Dubai.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Woman seen on video allegedly blocking Minnesota ICE operation with car as agitators surround agents

Minnesota Incident: Video Captures Woman Allegedly Obstructing ICE Operation with Vehicle Amidst Protesters

In the wake of the tragic shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good…
Iran regime opened fire with live ammunition on protesters, doctor says: ‘Shoot-to-kill’

Iranian Authorities Accused of Using Live Rounds on Protesters, Doctor Reports ‘Shoot-to-Kill’ Tactics

In a troubling escalation of violence, Iranian security forces have reportedly shifted…
What is SOS mode? Verizon outage leaves customers without service

Nationwide Verizon Outages: What You Need to Know Right Now

Verizon has acknowledged a significant service disruption impacting mobile users across the…
Karen Read says she is still traumatized by boyfriend's murder trial

Karen Read Opens Up About Ongoing Trauma from Boyfriend’s High-Profile Murder Trial

Karen Read has opened up about the emotional toll she has endured…
US Group shares Iran target list with Trump administration

US Organization Reveals Iran Target List to Trump Team

The Trump administration has received a detailed list of crucial military targets,…
Meredith Salenger, 55, worked with Ben Affleck, see her now

Catch Up with Meredith Salenger, 55: Nostalgic Collaboration with Ben Affleck and Her Latest Ventures

Meredith Salenger, now 55, was once one of Hollywood’s most charming and…
Reese Witherspoon warns followers about online impersonators asking for personal information

Reese Witherspoon Alerts Fans: Beware of Online Scammers Posing as Celebrities

Witherspoon’s cautionary note coincides with an increase in Instagram users receiving unexpected…
Minnesota's restraining order against ICE blocked by judge

Judge Halts Minnesota’s Attempt to Enforce Restraining Order Against ICE

Attorney General Keith Ellison has accused federal authorities of “invading” Minnesota, according…