Pentagon returns to Tunisia a Guantanamo Bay detainee held in the US military prison since 2002

The Pentagon on Monday returned to Tunisia a detainee held at the United States' military base at Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, since 2002. 

The Defense Department said Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi, 59, was repatriated to the government of Tunisia after he was "determined transfer-eligible by a rigorous interagency review process established by [a] 2009 Executive Order."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin notified Congress of his intentions in January 2024. 

The Pentagon says 26 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay: 14 are eligible for transfer; three are eligible for a Periodic Review Board; seven are involved in the military commissions process; and two detainees have been convicted and sentenced by military commissions.

President George W. Bush established the detention center in January 2002 to hold terrorism suspects and "illegal enemy combatants" during what was known as the "Global War on Terrorism."