Nine Guantanamo Bay detainees moved to Saudi Arabia

Nine Guantanamo Bay detainees moved to Saudi Arabia

IANSUpdated: Friday, May 31, 2019, 04:15 PM IST
article-image

Washington: The US Defence Department said nine detainees had been transferred from the Guantanamo Bay detention centre to Saudi Arabia. The transfer reduces to 80 the number of prisoners remaining at the prison located in Cuba for terrorism suspects, which US President Barack Obama pledged to close during his 2008 election campaign and is trying to shut down before he leaves office in January 2017, EFE news reported.

“The US is grateful to the government of Saudi Arabia for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility,” the Pentagon said on Saturday.The transfer occurred after lengthy negotiations with the Saudi government, which had already taken 133 Guantanamo Bay detainees in recent years.

The nine prisoners transferred on Saturday are all from Yemen. One of them, Tariq Ali Abdullah Ba Odah, has been on a hunger strike since 2007, is regularly force-fed and as of last year weighed 33 kg, according to officials.

RECENT STORIES

Latest News: PM Narendra Modi is addressing Indian community in Bahrain

Latest News: PM Narendra Modi is addressing Indian community in Bahrain

Latest News! Delegation of opposition party leaders to visit Srinagar tomorrow

Latest News! Delegation of opposition party leaders to visit Srinagar tomorrow

IT Ministry's Fact Check Unit (FCU) On Hold, SC Underlines The 'Freedom Of Speech'

IT Ministry's Fact Check Unit (FCU) On Hold, SC Underlines The 'Freedom Of Speech'

'Samyukta Kisan Morcha' Announces 'Bharat Band' On February 16 To Ensure Better MSP And Legal...

'Samyukta Kisan Morcha' Announces 'Bharat Band' On February 16 To Ensure Better MSP And Legal...

India vs Pakistan, ICC World Cup 2023: Pakistan Journalists Receive Visas To Cover Marquee Clash

India vs Pakistan, ICC World Cup 2023: Pakistan Journalists Receive Visas To Cover Marquee Clash