We are ready for Yemeni and Saudi prisoner swap, says Houthi official

A senior leader of Yemen’s Houthis said on Friday that the group is ready to swap prisoners with the legitimate Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia. Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi shared this news on his Twitter account.

“We are ready for a total swap of prisoners either directly or through the Red Cross,” said the head of the Houthis’ Supreme Revolutionary Committee. He pointed out that he had notified the Red Cross about this during a recent meeting.

According to the Yemeni government, though, the Houthis refused to release all prisoners as an act of good faith before any negotiations. It accused them of the arrest and abduction of more than 3,000 Yemenis, including Defence Minister General Mahmoud Al-Subaihi and other military and political leaders.

The exact number of Houthis held by the legitimate Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia has not been disclosed. It is also unknown exactly how many Saudi prisoners are held by the Houthis.