WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United States has transferred five detainees from the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Afghanistan and one to Bahrain, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

    With Thursday's transfer, approximately 355 detainees remain at Guantanamo, and about 80 of them have been determined by the U.S. government eligible for transfer or release, the Pentagon said in a statement.

    "Departure of these remaining detainees is subject to ongoing discussions between the United States and other nations," the statement said.

    Since 2002, the United States has transferred approximately 420detainees from Guantanamo to other countries for continued detention of release.

    The United States opened the detention facility at its naval base in Guantanamo in January 2002, to hold terror suspects and Taliban members mainly captured during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.

    Most those still being held there have been detained for about five years and only about 10 have been charged.