A low-level al Qaeda fighter who has been in Guantanamo prison for more than 14 years is now being released, according to several reports Sunday.
The Department of Defense announced the transfer of Shawqi Awad Balzuhair to Cape Verde off the coast of Africa for resettlement.
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The transfer leaves 59 prisoners at the controversial detention facility.
Balzuhair has been held without any charges in Guantanamo since he was detained in Pakistan back in 2002. A U.S. government review board previously approved his release earlier this year, calling him a “low-level militant,” according to CBS News.
This is the second prisoner that Cape Verde has accepted. A key hurdle President Obama faces in closing the prison is finding countries willing to accept prisoners.
