Red Cross: Yemen prisoner exchange a positive step towards peace

A prisoner swap between the internationally-recognised Yemeni government and Houthi forces has been completed, raising hopes for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the 8-year conflict in Yemen. Yemeni government forces have been backed by a Saudi-led coalition in a fight against the Houthis. The prisoner swap took place as all of the warring parties sat down in the capital Sanaa to discuss lasting peace on the Arabian Peninsula.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has hailed the recent prisoner exchange between the Yemeni government and the Houthis as a “positive step towards peace and reconciliation”, Anadolu news agency reported.

The ICRC yesterday announced the “successful completion of the prisoner release operations after 3 days.”

In a brief statement posted on Twitter it added that it had worked with the Yemeni Red Crescent (YRC) “tirelessly to reunite about 900 former detainees with their families, taking a positive step toward peace and reconciliation in Yemen.”

Update: Release operations have concluded successfully after 3 days. The ICRC and YRCS have worked tirelessly to reunite about 900 former detainees with their families, taking a positive step toward peace and reconciliation in Yemen. pic.twitter.com/PVwOK8L96i

— ICRC Yemen (@ICRC_ye) April 16, 2023

On Sunday, 190 prisoners detained by the Yemeni government and the Houthis, including four journalists, were released while about 700 prisoners and detainees from both sides were released over the past two days.

By the end of the three phases agreed upon with the ICRC and the Office of the United Nations Envoy to Yemen, the number of prisoners released from both sides will be 890.

Earlier yesterday, the Yemeni government announced the launch of new consultations for the exchange of prisoners with the Houthis, with the Houthi group saying it “includes the release of 1,400 prisoners from both sides.”

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