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Four Afghan Guantanamo inmates sent home | Four Afghan Guantanamo inmates sent home |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Four Afghan detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison have been sent back to their home country, the Pentagon says. | Four Afghan detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison have been sent back to their home country, the Pentagon says. |
Shawali Khan, Khi Ali Gul, Abdul Ghani and Mohammed Zahir were repatriated after a thorough review of their cases. | Shawali Khan, Khi Ali Gul, Abdul Ghani and Mohammed Zahir were repatriated after a thorough review of their cases. |
Eight Afghans are believed to be among the 132 detainees remaining at the US prison in Cuba. | Eight Afghans are believed to be among the 132 detainees remaining at the US prison in Cuba. |
President Barack Obama has pledged to close the facility, opened in 2002 to hold "enemy combatants" in what the US termed its war on terror. | President Barack Obama has pledged to close the facility, opened in 2002 to hold "enemy combatants" in what the US termed its war on terror. |
'Nowhere to go' | 'Nowhere to go' |
"As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, these men were unanimously approved for transfer by the six departments and agencies comprising the task force," a Pentagon statement said on Saturday. | "As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, these men were unanimously approved for transfer by the six departments and agencies comprising the task force," a Pentagon statement said on Saturday. |
The four Afghans were flown to Afghanistan's capital Kabul aboard a US military plane and handed over to the local authorities, a US official was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. | |
The Pentagon provided no further details. | The Pentagon provided no further details. |
The repatriation is the latest in a series of transfers from the Guantanamo Bay, as President Obama seeks to eventually shut the facility. | The repatriation is the latest in a series of transfers from the Guantanamo Bay, as President Obama seeks to eventually shut the facility. |
Earlier this month, six prisoners were flown to Uruguay, which said they would enjoy complete freedom in the South American nation. | Earlier this month, six prisoners were flown to Uruguay, which said they would enjoy complete freedom in the South American nation. |
About half of the remaining inmates at the Guantanamo Bay have been cleared for transfer - but have nowhere to go because their countries of origin are unstable or unsafe. | About half of the remaining inmates at the Guantanamo Bay have been cleared for transfer - but have nowhere to go because their countries of origin are unstable or unsafe. |
The facility in Cuba was opened a year after the 9/11 attacks in the US. | The facility in Cuba was opened a year after the 9/11 attacks in the US. |