AL-MUKALLA: More than 190 captives, including four journalists, were released on the final day of a prisoner transfer operation between the Yemeni government and the Houthis on Sunday, with both parties recommitting to debate the release of more detainees in the future.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which facilitated the operation, said that two of its chartered planes transported 105 Houthis from Marib to Sanaa, while two more carried 89 Yemeni government prisoners in the opposite direction, so ending the three-day operation.
“Release operations have concluded successfully after three days,” the ICRC delegation in Yemen said on Twitter. “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.”
Hundreds of detainees were released from Sanaa, Aden, Mokha and Abha in Yemen, and Riyadh and Abha in Saudi Arabia during the first two days of the operation that began on Friday.
Yemen’s government and the Houthis agreed in Switzerland last month to exchange nearly 900 detainees during the holy month of Ramadan and to meet again to consider further exchanges.
The four Yemeni journalists condemned to death by the Houthis were seen hugging their parents and children, as well as the hundreds of people who waited in line at Marib airport to welcome them and the other freed detainees back home.
The Houthis also released two sons of former Vice President Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmer. Hundreds of people welcomed the released prisoners at Sanaa airport.
Daphnee Maret, head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen, shared photographs of the former prisoners embracing their families and said the operation had been highly emotional.
“It’s been an intense period for all involved — the joy of families reuniting has moved us all to tears. It’s moments like these that keep us going,” she said on Twitter.
Encouraged by the success of the second prisoner exchange, the Yemeni government and Houthi negotiators renewed their commitment to meet again to discuss another swap that could see the release of an even larger number of captives.
Abdulkader Al-Murtada, head of the Houthis’ prisoner exchange committee, said on Sunday that they would propose exchanging 1,400 people with the Yemeni government during the next round of discussions.
Yahya Kazman, head of the Yemeni government’s delegation in prisoner exchange discussions, said it was dedicated to exchanging all detainees with the Houthis as well as clearing jails of those who had been kidnapped or forcefully vanished during the war.
“Our joy will not be complete until every one of our heroes is released from militia custody. We are unwaveringly devoted to the principle of all for all,” he said.
The prisoner exchange in Yemen happened as Saudi Arabia renewed its efforts to mediate a peace settlement between the Houthis and the Yemeni government and bring an end to more than eight years of fighting.
The Kingdom’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jaber, personally discussed a peace plan with the Houthis in Sanaa last week and is scheduled to return to the city to resolve outstanding issues.
