The United States has transferred 11 Yemeni detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention center to Oman, marking a significant step in the ongoing efforts to reduce the population at the controversial facility. The detainees had been held for over two decades without formal charges, as part of the US’s “war on terror.”
In a statement released on Monday evening, the US Department of Defense expressed gratitude towards Oman and other international partners for their support in the initiative to responsibly decrease the detainee count and work towards the eventual closure of Guantanamo Bay.
With this transfer, the detainee population at Guantanamo has dwindled to just 15, a stark contrast to the nearly 800 individuals held at the height of its operation. Established in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, the Guantanamo Bay prison was designed to detain suspects indefinitely without formal charges or legal recourse, leading to widespread criticism and condemnation from human rights organizations and international bodies.
Amnesty International welcomed the recent transfer but reiterated that the facility remains a significant blemish on the US’s human rights record. The organization described Guantanamo as a “glaring, longstanding stain,” reflecting the ongoing human rights concerns associated with its operation.
In the past month, several detainees have been released from Guantanamo, including Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi, a Tunisian national detained since the prison’s inception in 2002 without charges, and Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu, who was arrested in Kenya in 2007. Two Malaysian men, detained for 18 years without charges, were also among those recently released.
Despite calls from successive US administrations to shut down the facility, it remains operational. President Joe Biden had pledged during his 2020 campaign to close Guantanamo, but with only weeks left in his term, the prison is still active. Biden administration officials have indicated ongoing efforts to identify countries willing to accept detainees who have never been charged with a crime.
Currently, of the 15 remaining detainees at Guantanamo, six are uncharged, with three cleared for transfer. The Defense Department also noted that nine others include individuals who have been convicted and sentenced, or charged in connection with significant terrorist incidents, such as the USS Cole bombing in 2000, the September 11 attacks, and the 2002 Bali bombings.
The future of Guantanamo Bay remains uncertain, but the recent transfers signal a continued push towards reducing its detainee population and addressing the complex legacy of the prison.
Source: News Agencies
