Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi, a Tunisian national who had been held at Guantanamo Bay since its opening in 2002, was repatriated to Tunisia on Monday. Al-Yazidi, 59, spent more than 20 years at the US military prison without being charged with any crime.
The transfer was confirmed by the US Department of Defense, marking the latest in a series of detainee repatriations under the Biden administration. This is the fourth such transfer in the past two weeks as the administration works to reduce the population of Guantanamo Bay, which held 40 detainees when President Biden took office in 2020.
Al-Yazidi’s repatriation follows a comprehensive interagency review process, which determined that he was eligible for transfer. The Pentagon also stated that the necessary steps for the responsible transfer were completed in consultation with Tunisian authorities.
Captured by Pakistani forces near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in December 2001, al-Yazidi was suspected of involvement with militant groups, but he was never formally charged by the US. Despite being approved for transfer more than a decade ago, an agreement with Tunisia had not been reached until now.
Guantanamo Bay, which opened on January 11, 2002, has been a central part of the US military’s detention strategy following the September 11 attacks. The facility has faced ongoing criticism for its use of indefinite detention and controversial practices, including the detention of individuals without trial and the use of “enhanced interrogation” techniques.
At its peak, the facility housed nearly 800 detainees, many of whom were held for years without formal charges. While former US President Barack Obama attempted to close the facility during his tenure, efforts to shut it down were hampered by legal and political challenges.
Currently, 26 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay, with 14 eligible for transfer.
Al-Yazidi’s repatriation is part of broader efforts to address the legal and human rights concerns surrounding the prison, but it also underscores the ongoing challenges in resolving the situation of those still detained.