The U.S. government has sent six men who were being held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Uruguay.

The Pentagon said Sunday, the four Syrians, one Tunisian and one Palestinian will be resettled in Uruguay as refugees.

All six had been detained as suspected militants with ties to al-Qaida but were never charged.

They are the first Guantanamo prisoners to be released to South America.

Their release brings the total number of prisoners at Guantanamo to 136 — the lowest number since the first month the prison opened in January 2002.

President Barack Obama took office nearly six years ago promising to shut the prison, citing its damage to America’s image around the world. But he has been unable to do so, partly because of obstacles imposed by the U.S. Congress.

Some information for this report came from AP.
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