Koror(Palau), Nov 15(ANI): Palau President Johnson Toribiong has indicated that China may have pressured Australia to refuse to take six Uighur men released from Guantanamo Bay and sent to the Pacific island nation.

Toribiong said that though Palau welcomed the six Uighurs (from a region in China’s far west), who have spent almost eight years in detention at the US military base, he failed to understand as to why Australia rejected the group.

“It’s strange, it’s a big country. I assume they were pressured by China to take the position they did, but in my opinion the problem or dispute between the US and China over these people is between them,” The News.com.au quoted Toribiong, as saying.

Palau, a former US-administered territory that relies heavily on US aid, has agreed to provide a temporary home to the six Uighurs who were cleared of all charges four years ago.

The former prisoners were among 22 Uighurs who were detained in Afghanistan when the US-led invasion of the country began in October 2001. (ANI)