Four detainees have been released from the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba and sent back to Afghanistan.
Shawali Khan, Khi Ali Gul, Abdul Ghani and Mohammed Zahir were held for over 10 years. They were released upon request by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, The Washington Post reports.
The Pentagon said in a release:
“The United States is grateful to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for its willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.”
Eight Afghan detainees remain at the detention center. A total of 64 detainees are have been cleared and will be scheduled for release. There are currently 132 detainees left at Guantanamo Bay.
Earlier this year, four detainees were released in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Bergdahl was captured in Afghanistan in 2009.
