The Obama administration plans to transfer up to 10 Guantanamo Bay detention center detainees within the month, a senior defense official said.
The transfers would be the first detainees to leave the detention center since January.
“You’re likely to see some progress in June. I just talked to the National Security Council and State [Department], so we can say maybe up to 10 — no specific time frame, but in the near future,” the defense official told Defense One Wednesday. “And then we’re actively engaged with a number of countries in additional negotiations regarding the 57 that are eligible. But sometime this summer, maybe June, up to 10.”
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter would like to clear out the entire facility, the official told Defense One.
“He wants to focus on the 57 who are cleared for transfer, but he wants to see what we’re doing with the rest of those. So he’s thinking about all 122, not just the 57,” the official said.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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