The United States has repatriated Ridah al-Yazidi, a Tunisian detainee who had been held at Guantanamo Bay for over two decades, back to Tunisia, marking a significant step in the ongoing effort to close the controversial detention center. The Pentagon confirmed the transfer on Monday, with al-Yazidi’s release being part of a broader push to downsize the facility, which began in 2002.
Al-Yazidi, 59, had been held at Guantanamo since its opening in 2002, without ever facing charges. His transfer followed a “rigorous interagency review process,” and he had been cleared for release since 2007 under both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. Despite this, bureaucratic delays kept him at the facility for years.
While the U.S. military once accused him of ties to al-Qaeda, human rights groups have long questioned the validity of these claims. Al-Yazidi’s repatriation is part of President Joe Biden’s ongoing attempt to close Guantanamo Bay, though progress has been slow.
At the start of the Biden administration, around 40 detainees remained at the facility, with 14 now eligible for transfer. The December transfer of al-Yazidi is the fourth this month, following the release of other detainees, including Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu, transferred to Kenya after being held without charge since 2007.
Guantanamo Bay, which has become a symbol of human rights violations due to the indefinite detention of suspects, continues to house 26 detainees, with ongoing debates about its closure. Despite promises from previous U.S. presidents to shut down the prison, it remains operational, with legal and political hurdles complicating any effort to close it permanently.
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