[JURIST] The Saudi Arabia [JURIST news archive] Interior Ministry [backgrounder] announced Tuesday that the government has freed eighteen former Guantanamo Bay detainees "after meeting necessary legal conditions." A spokesperson for the ministry stated that the government will continue to try to urge repatriation of Saudis from Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive], but was unclear as to how many Saudis are still detained there. The US has transferred 29 Saudi nationals home so far this year.

Earlier in December, sixteen Saudis [JURIST report; DOD press release] were released from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabian government was holding the latest groups of transferees while investigating whether they have ties to terrorist groups [JURIST report]. VOA has more.