The U.S. has transferred six detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison to Uruguay, the Department of Defense announced Sunday.
The detainees, who include four Syrians, a Tunisian and a Palestinian, represent the largest group to depart the prison since 2009, and the first to be transferred to South America, the New York Times reports. The six inmates were held in the wartime prison for more than 10 years due to suspected ties with al-Qaeda, but were never charged.
The announcement follows a push by Obama to close the prison, as his administration believes fewer prisoners may convince Congress to revoke a law that prohibits detainees’ transfer to the U.S. While the men were cleared for release in 2010, U.S. officials struggled to find countries willing to accept the prisoners.
136 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay today, according to the Department of Defense statement.
- How an Alleged Spy Balloon Derailed an Important U.S.-China Meeting
- Effective Altruism Has a Toxic Culture of Sexual Harassment and Abuse, Women Say
- Inside Bolsonaro's Surreal New Life as a Florida Man—and MAGA Darling
- 'Return to Office' Plans Spell Trouble for Working Moms
- 8 Ways to Read More Books—and Why You Should
- Why Aren't Movies Sexy Anymore?
- Column: Elon Musk Should Not Be in Charge of the Night Sky
- How Logan Paul's Crypto Empire Fell Apart
- 80 for Brady May Not Be a Masterpiece. But the World Needs More Movies Like This
