A senior U.S. official says the first of 17 detainees scheduled to be released from the Guantanamo Bay prison in January will be transferred next week, as the Obama administration continues efforts to reduce the population at the controversial detention center.

The official says that another three detainees are slated to appear before a review board during January to determine if they can also be considered eligible for transfer to another country.

The Pentagon notified Congress earlier this month that 17 detainees will be transferred to other countries in January, beginning with several next week. Those transfers will reduce the total detainees at Guantanamo to 90, with 31 still eligible for transfer.

The official was not authorized to discuss the transfers publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

(AP)