The United States said it has transferred a Yemeni inmate from the Guantanamo Bay prison to Italy, bringing the number of detainees at the U.S. naval base in Cuba to 78.
Fayiz Ahmad Yahia Suleiman, who was never charged, had spent more than 14 years in custody.
He was among about two dozen low-level Guantanamo prisoners expected to be released in the coming weeks.
"The United States is grateful to the Government of Italy for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility," the U.S. Defense Department said in a statement on July 10.
Suleiman, who is about 40, was suspected of fighting with Al-Qaeda against U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.
He was cleared for release in 2010. But Washington does not send Yemeni prisoners to their homeland because of instability there and had to find another country to accept him for resettlement.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
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