US announces transfer of 6 Guantanamo detainees to Oman

The United States has transferred six detainees from its Guantanamo Bay prison to Oman, the Department of Defense announced on Saturday in a statement.

"The United States is grateful to the government of Oman for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility," the department said.

The announcement came as US President Barack Obama is seeking to close the prison.

Six Yemenis held for over 10 years at Guantanamo have been flown to Oman for resettlement, the statement said.

The transfer, the largest in 2015, leaves the number of the Guantanamo's inmates to 116, less than half the tally when Obama took office in 2009.

The six men were regarded as low-risk detainees cleared years ago for transfer.
   globaltimes.cn - Xinhua
  13/6/15
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