Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel informed the Obama administration Wednesday that it is preparing to move six Guantanamo Bay detainees to Uruguay. The individuals had already been cleared for the transfer for more than four years, according to the New York Times.

The approval from Hagel signals action since a four-month stall on what the U.S. would do with these detainees. While the deal with Uruguay was pending in spring, the sweeping response to the prisoner exchange deal made in May to free imprisoned U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from Afghanistan shifted focus away from other matters. The controversy centered around the five Taliban prisoners sent to Qatar in exchange for Bergdahl.

"The United States is grateful to our partner, Uruguay, for this significant humanitarian gesture, and appreciates the Uruguayan government's generous assistance as the United States continues its efforts to close the detention facility at Guantánamo," Ian Moss, a State Department spokesman, said. "We remain very appreciative of the assistance of our friends and allies who have stepped up not just to receive their own nationals but also those countries who have accepted detainees for resettlement."

The six men are one Tunisian, one Palestinian and four Syrians, who could be sent to South America as early as August. One of the Syrian detainees brought charges against the Pentagon's forced feeding procedures while inmates were on a hunger strike. His transfer would likely stop the lawsuit from continuing.

This group transfer is the largest out of Guantanamo Bay since 2009. It will reduce the inmate population to 143, which includes 72 prisoners approved for transfer.

Transfers such as this have accelerated in the past few months. The Obama administration has released 89 detainees so far, according to Moss. About 50 of those transferred prisoners settled in third countries.