Oman accepts 10 Guantanamo Bay inmates

Gulf state Oman said it had accepted 10 inmates from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay ahead of President Barack Obama leaving office.

Oman's foreign ministry announced it had accepted the prisoners at Obama's request, but did not name them.

"To meet a request by the US government to assist in settling the issue of the detainees at Guantanamo, out of consideration of their humanitarian situation, 10 people released from that prison arrived in the Sultanate of Oman for a temporary residency," the foreign ministry said in a statement, reported Reuters.

On 5 January, authorities said 19 of the remaining 55 prisoners at the US military base in Cuba had been cleared for release, and could be freed ahead of Obama stepping down as president on 20 January.

Prisoners accused of supporting terrorist organisations were imprisoned there following 9/11. Many have never been charged.

Four Yemeni inmates were released to Saudi Arabia in January as part of an effort by Obama to reduce the prison population, as he was unable to close the facility.

US president-elect Donald Trump has said there should be no more releases from the prison, and that those inmates who remain are "extremely dangerous people and should not be allowed back onto the battlefield".

He has pledged to keep the prison open, and "load it up with some bad dudes".