Tue Jan 07 07:38:42 UTC 2025: ## Eleven Guantanamo Detainees Transferred to Oman
**Washington, D.C. –** The Pentagon announced the transfer of eleven Yemeni men from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to Oman on Monday, January 6th, 2025. This represents the largest single transfer of detainees under the Biden administration and brings the total number of detainees at Guantanamo to its lowest level since 2002 – just 15 men.
The men, held for over two decades without charge, were among those never formally indicted for crimes related to the “war on terror.” Their release marks a significant step toward the Biden administration’s goal of closing the controversial detention facility. Among those released was Shaqawi al Hajj, who endured prolonged hunger strikes and hospitalizations to protest his lengthy imprisonment, including prior CIA detention and torture.
Human rights groups and some lawmakers have long advocated for the closure of Guantanamo or the release of detainees who haven’t been charged. While the Omani government has not officially confirmed the transfer, Oman has a history of accepting Guantanamo detainees, although the circumstances surrounding their subsequent release remain unclear. Past instances have involved repatriation to conflict zones and financial compensation.
Currently, six detainees remain at Guantanamo without charges, alongside two convicted inmates and seven others facing charges related to major terrorist attacks. The transfer leaves the future of Guantanamo Bay’s operation uncertain, but signifies a notable reduction in its detainee population.
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