Cuba on Wednesday began releasing prisoners under a deal with departing US President Joe Biden to remove the communist island from a list of terror sponsors, the detainees' relatives told AFP.

The Biden administration announced on Tuesday it will remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list – a move taken in the twilight of the administration that is likely to reversed by the incoming team.

In a last-minute decision driven by the White House, the State Department on Tuesday removed Cuba from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism, despite earlier assurances that it would not do so,