On Monday, the White House announced the transfer of 11 Yemeni detainees from the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to Oman.
The detainees, who include two former bodyguards for Osama bin Laden, had been held for over two decades without being charged or tried.
Oman has agreed to resettle the individuals, despite ongoing U.S. military efforts against Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.
The Department of Defense issued a statement confirming the transfer, saying:
“The Department of Defense announced today the resettlement of 11 Yemeni detainees from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Oman.
The United States appreciates the willingness of the government of Oman and other partners to support ongoing U.S. efforts focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guantanamo Bay facility.
Among them, Moath Hamza Ahmed al-Alwi and Suhayl Abdul Anam al Sharabi are accused of being part of Osama bin Laden’s security detail.
Classified documents as recent as 2016 described al-Alwi as maintaining “an extremist mindset.” Al Sharabi was allegedly linked to a failed al-Qaeda plot for a 9/11-style hijacking in Southwest Asia, led by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
The transfer occurred just days