[JURIST] The US Department of Defense (DOD) [official website] on Monday announced [press release] the transfer of two Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] detainees to Algeria. The Department says that approximately 60 detainees at the base are eligible for release, and that it is negotiating with host countries to allow their transfer. It said the transfers were approved after a "comprehensive series of review processes," and that approximately 250 detainees remain at the base.

Earlier this month, DOD announced the transfer [press release; JURIST report] of one Guantanamo detainee to Somaliland, as well as the transfer [press release; JURIST report] of two other detainees, one to Tajikistan and one to Kazakhstan. It was reported Monday that advisers to US president-elect Barack Obama [transition website] are working on a plan to expedite the closure [JURIST report] of the base by either releasing or bringing criminal charges against the majority of remaining detainees. Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates [official profile] confirmed that the detention facilities at Guantanamo will remain open [JURIST report] for the remainder of President George W. Bush's administration.