The U.S. government has identified the six detainees released from Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The government of Uruguay is taking in the prisoners as refugees as part of the Obama administration's goal to close the prison at the Cuban base. The country's president, Jose Mujica, defended his decision in an open letter to the nation. 

The six detainees were moved on Sunday from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo. The U.S. Defense Department announced the transfer in a press release, explaining the Guantanamo Review Task Force unanimously approved the transfer of detainees.

"The United States is grateful to the Government of Uruguay for its willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility," the statement said. "The United States coordinated with the Government of Uruguay to ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures."

According to the BBC, the six detainees have been identified as Abu Wael Dhiab, Ali Husain Shaaban, Ahmed Adnan Ajuri, and Abdelahdi Faraj, from Syria; Mohammed Abdullah Taha Mattan, from Palestine; Adel bin Muhammad El Ouerghi, from Tunisia.

The attorneys for some of the detainees said their clients were grateful for Uruguay's hospitality.

"He thinks that this is home," Cori Crider, lawyer from human rights group Reprieve, said about her client 43-year-old Dhiab

"At the moment of course his main focus is on just getting well, to get well and also of course he wants to see his wife and his kids again."

Uruguayan President Mujica published on Friday an open letter addressed to his nation as well as President Barack Obama, outlining the reasoning behind Uruguay's role in the transfer.

Recalling Uruguay's role as a refugee sanctuary dating back to the Spanish Civil War, Mujica used history to justify the decision to bring the detainees to the South American nation. However, they would be considered refugees.

"Selecting that vocation from the best of our past, we have offered our hospitality to humans who suffered an excruciating kidnapping at Guantánamo," Mujica wrote. "The inescapable reason is humanitarian."

CNN reports the men arrived Sunday and were taken to hospitals in a convoy of 15-20 cars. The transfer happened at night.

The exchange is part of President Obama's efforts to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, which has been open since 2002. Currently there are 136 detainees, the lowest number since the detention center opened.