The population of Guantanamo Bay dropped below 90 for the first time since it opened in 2002 when two prisoners were transferred to Senegal, the Pentagon announced on Monday.
The two Libyan nationals, Salem Abdu Salam Ghereby and Omar Khalif Mohammed Abu Baker Mahjour Umar, were unanimously cleared for transfer by the Guantanamo Review Task Force and the Periodic Review Board, respectively.
The Pentagon release said the U.S. worked with Senegal to “ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and human treatment measures,” though it did not specify what security measures are in place.
The detainees are the first transferred to Senegal. Fifty-eight countries have resettled detainees, according to New York Times data, with most going to Afghanistan.
Ghereby arrived at Guantanamo Bay on May 5, 2002. Prior to his capture, he participated in hostilities against American and coalition forces in Osama bin Laden’s Tora Bora mountain complex, according to documents.
Baker was sent to Guantanamo Bay on Aug. 5, 2002. During his detention at Gitmo, Baker “threatened to kill U.S. personnel on several occasions,” according to documents posted by the New York Times.
Monday’s transfer brings the population of the detention center to 89. President Obama is seeking to close the military prison before the end of his term and presented Congress with a plan to do so earlier this year, though the lack of details largely made it a non-starter among Republicans.
“The continued operation of the detention facility weakens our national security by draining resources, damaging our relationships with key allies and partners, and serving as a propaganda tool for violent extremists,” Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement. “We are taking all possible steps to reduce the detainee population at Guantanamo and to close the detention facility in a responsible manner that protects our national security.”
