After 23 years, 15 detainees left, will US close Guantanamo detention camp?
Only 15 detainees remain in Guantanamo. With so few inmates left, could the infamous prison close?
WASHINGTON — Saturday, Jan. 11, marks 23 years since the United States brought the first 20 detainees to the Guantanamo Bay military detention facility, where only 15 detainees remain today, raising questions about the fate of the prison camp and its legacy.
The Department of Defense on Monday transferred 11 Yemeni inmates from Guantanamo to Oman after more than two decades of imprisonment. None of those released have been charged with any crimes.
The transfer of these was the result of a yearslong effort — it was originally scheduled for the fall of 2023 but hit obstacles in Congress and was delayed until this week. Approval for transfer requires that all relevant US military, intelligence and law enforcement agencies agree that the individual does not pose a significant security threat.
This transfer marks the largest under outgoing President Joe Biden, who pledged in 2021 to close the prison by the time he left office.
