Mauritania receives 2 prisoners from Guantanamo, according to support group

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania – A prisoner support group says that three Mauritanians — including two detainees from Guantanamo — were returned to their country late Friday night.

Hamoud Ould Nabagha, chairman of the Support Committee for Guantanamo Prisoners, said the prisoners arrived at Nouakchott airport aboard a United States military aircraft. He said the prisoners include Mohamedou Ould Slahi and Ahmed Ould Abdel Aziz, both of whom were held at Guantanamo. The third is El Haj Ould Cheikh El Houssein Youness who was held at the U.S. military base at the Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

Nabagha said the detainees were turned over to Mauritanian police who may interview them before their release.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz recently claimed that the Guantanamo detainees would be released soon.