Time is winding down on President Barack Obama's promise to shut down Guantanamo Bay, but the country made a step in that direction as prisoner Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Awn al-Shamrani got released and sent back to his native Saudi.

According to a report from the Washington Post, the Pentagon released a statement saying the Guantanamo detainee had already touched down on his home country, marking the fourth successful release from the controversial detainment facility in 2016.

Shamrani, who was described as an al-Qaeda recruiter and fighter, has been in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since he was captured in January 2002. A report from Military Times revealed a Pentagon profile on the detainee in 2014 said he "almost certainly remains committed to supporting extremist causes, and has continued to incite other detainees against the detention staff at Guantanamo."

In his case review last year, the government board concluded that his country's security and rehabilitation programs are enough to keep him from taking up extremist causes once again or at least minimize the likelihood.

His lawyer said, "Mr. al-Shamrani looks forward to participating in the Saudi reintegration program, reuniting with his family and establishing a peaceful and productive life in his home country."

Shamrani said as much in his own written statement from 2015, according to the Washington Post report. Guantanamo's latest released detainee did not mention fighting again, but only of his plans to open a laundromat in his country and enter the rehabilitation center.

The Saudi former prisoner is the fourth of 17 prisoners expected to be freed within January. There are 103 men left in the infamous facility, with 40 more cleared for release.

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough recently reiterated the administration's commitment to shutting down Guantanamo Bay after the center marked its 14th year. President Obama's office ends in less than a year, but he's still focused on the cause.

"He feels an obligation to his successor to close that, and that's why we're going to do it," McDonough said in an interview with Fox News. "Sure we are."

There has been some buzz on whether the president is planning to use his executive powers to sidestep Congress and hasten the closing of Guantanamo Bay, but McDonough declined to discuss such speculation during his statement.

"The president just said he's going to present a plan to Congress and work with Congress and then we'll make some final determination," McDonough responded. "I'm not an 'if when' guy. I said we're going to close it. (Obama) just said he's going to present a plan to Congress to do that."