Five men held at the US
prison in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba for
more than a decade have been sent
to Kazakhstan for resettlement, the Pentagon says.The three Yemenis and two Tunisians had been captured in Pakistan as suspected militants with ties to al-Qaeda.
US officials say the men, who were never charged, no longer pose a threat.
Officials say 28 inmates have been released from the facility this year, the largest number since US President Barack Obama took office in 2009.
It comes as part of the president's push to close the controversial prison, which was opened in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on the US.
Earlier this month, four Afghan detainees were repatriated while another six prisoners were flown to Uruguay.
Latest detainees transferred
- Asim Thabit Abdullah Al-Khalaqi, 46, Yemeni
- Muhammad Ali Husayn Khanayna, 36, Yemeni
- Sabri Mohammad al Qurash, 44, Yemeni
- Adel Al-Hakeemy, 49, Tunisian
- Abdallah Bin Ali al Lufti, 48, Tunisian.
The five men were "unanimously approved for transfer" after a review of their cases by an inter-agency task force, it added.
It marks the first time Kazakhstan has taken in Guantanamo Bay prisoners, which senior US officials say followed extensive negotiations.
No reason was given for why the men were not sent to their home countries. However, many detainees cannot be repatriated because their countries of origin are considered unstable or unsafe.
- 127 detainees remaining
- 59 approved for transfer
- 15 believed to be classified as "high value"
- 15 freed in December - six sent to Uruguay (pictured), four to Afghanistan and five to Kazakhstan.
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