(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Oman has accepted to resettle four Yemenis prisoners from the US' Guantanamo Bay prison the US Department of Defense announced in a news release published on its website on Wednesday.
Of the total of five prisoners who have been released one will be sent to Estonia. Reports in Western media said that America has ruled out allowing the prisoners to return to Yemen looking at the political instability there.
In the statement the Pentagon expressed its appreciation to Oman for offering to settle the men and helping US efforts to close the prison.
"The United States is grateful to the Government of Oman for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility" it read. "The United States coordinated with the Government of Oman to ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures."
The released prisoners being sent to Oman have been identified as Al Khadr Abdallah al Yafi Fadel Hussein Hentif Abd al Rahman Abdullah Au Shabati and Mohammed Ahmed Salam according to the statement.
The Guardian stated that they all are in their 30s or 40s and had been initially detained in Pakistan.
The fifth to be resettled by Estonia has been named as Akhmed Abdu Qadir in another statement.
There are 122 prisoners remaining in Guantanamo according to the statement. The Guardian reported that 54 of the remaining have been approved for transfer 47 of which are Yemenis.
Oman has a record acting as a mediator particularly between the US and Iran over issues such as prisoner releases and nuclear negotiations. However it has also played a role in issues related to its other neighbour Yemen. Last Monday Oman reportedly mediated in the release of Yemen's chief of internal intelligence who was being held by Houthi rebels.
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