Eleven Yemeni detainees have been transferred from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay to Oman, leaving just 15 detainees remaining in the facility—its smallest population ever.
In a statement on Monday (January 6), the Department of Defense expressed gratitude to Oman for supporting U.S. efforts to responsibly reduce the detainee population and work towards closing the prison. None of the men, who were captured following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, have faced charges over their more than 20 years in detention.
The transfer took place just days before Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, attacks, is scheduled to plead guilty under a deal with U.S. officials to avoid the death penalty.
Largest Detainee Transfer Under Biden
This transfer marks the largest group relocation to a single country under President Joe Biden. Efforts to resettle the detainees in Oman had been ongoing for years, with the U.S. deeming Yemen too unstable due to its civil war for repatriation.
Among those transferred are Moath al-Alwi, cleared for release in 2022 and known for making model boats in prison, and Shaqawi al-Hajj, who staged multiple hunger strikes in protest of his detention.
The transfer occurred just days after Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi, one of Guantanamo’s first detainees from January 2002, was sent back to Tunisia. The U.S. Department of Defense also noted that three of the remaining 15 detainees are eligible for transfer.
Guantanamo’s Closure: A Lasting Debate
Guantanamo Bay, a military prison located within a U.S. naval base in southeastern Cuba, was established by the Bush administration in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to detain individuals captured in counter-terrorism operations. At its peak, the facility housed nearly 800 detainees.
The prison has been at the center of significant controversy over detainee treatment and prolonged detentions without charges. During his presidency, Barack Obama vowed to close the facility, arguing that it was inconsistent with American values and harmed the country’s international reputation. Obama also contended that Guantanamo’s existence strained U.S. partnerships, hindered anti-terrorism efforts, and contributed to jihadist recruitment.
