46 Guantanamo inmates awaiting countries to take them

WASHINGTON

Nearly 50 inmates have been cleared for release from the Guantanamo Bay prison facility but need a country to accept them, the White House said Thursday.

The announcement follows the release of two inmates earlier this week.

There are currently 105 detainees remaining at the controversial military site and 46 have been cleared for release, according to the White House.

The Pentagon announced the transfer of two detainees earlier this week to Ghana as President Barack Obama continues efforts to close the facility.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that he “wouldn’t rule out additional transfers in the near term”.

Still, Congress will almost certainly hamstring any efforts to shutter the facility as the Obama administration has acknowledged that some detainees are simply too dangerous to release, and lawmakers have passed legislation barring their transfer to the U.S.

The prison was established in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.

The U.S. transferred 17 detainees to Oman in June, three to Qatar in April, one to Morocco and one to Saudi Arabia in September, one to Mauritania in October and five to the United Arab Emirates in November.