Dubai: DUBAI: Oman said yesterday it accepted 10 detainees from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay ahead of President Barack Obama leaving office, part of his efforts to shrink the facility he promised to close.
Oman's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had accepted the prisoners at Obama's request. It did not name the prisoners. "In consideration of their humanitarian situation, 10 persons have been released fand arrived in the sultanate today for a temporary residence," the statement said. A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity as the transfer had yet to be publicly announced by the US, confirmed the prisoners had been sent to Oman. The official declined to elaborate.
The Omani Embassy in Washington said it had no other information about the transfer. The US Embassy in Muscat declined to immediately comment. The sultanate of Omanpreviously accepted 10 Guantanamo prisoners from Yemen in January 2016. Oman also took another six in June 2015. Neighbouring Saudi Arabia took four prisoners earlier this month and the United Arab Emirates took 15 in the largest-single transfer during Obama's administration in August.
