[JURIST] Eight more detainees have been transferred from Guantanamo Bay [press release], the US Defense Department said Sunday. According to the DOD announcement, six detainees were transferred to Afghanistan, one was transferred to Libya and one to Yemen. The names of the eight men were not released nor was the reason for their detention. A Yemeni newspaper reported on Sunday that Yemeni detainee Ali Mohamed Nasser had been released [Observer report] and returned to Yemen. The Defense Department also announced the transfer of one detainee [press release] from Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] to Mauritania on Friday. While his name was not released the announcement said that "the transfer is a demonstration of the United States' desire not to hold detainees any longer than necessary."

The Department of Defense transferred 16 detainees [press release; JURIST report] to Saudi Arabia in early September and another six detainees [press release; JURIST report] in early August, with five released to Afghanistan and one to Bahrain. Approximately 70 detainees are eligible for transfer or release out of the 330 detainees currently at Guantanamo. The Chicago Tribune has more.