Sanaa, June 7 (IANS) Yemen’s Houthi group announced its readiness to exchange all prisoners with the Yemeni government, a significant proposal put forward by the group since the outbreak of the civil war in late 2014.
The Houthi-run Saba news agency cited a statement by Abdul Qader al-Murtada, head of the Houthis’ committee for prisoners’ affairs, as saying that the group is prepared to carry out “a full exchange process that includes all prisoners from all parties without exception.”
Al-Murtada called on the Saudi government to pressure the Yemeni government “to respond to the initiative without preconditions.”
The internationally recognised Yemeni government is yet to comment, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Yemeni government and the Houthi group implemented a UN-mediated major prisoner swap in 2023, exchanging around 900 prisoners. Another major exchange took place in 2020, with approximately 1,000 prisoners and detainees released from both sides.
Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi group seized control of much of northern Yemen, forcing the Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.
Clashes between the Houthis and the Yemeni government have diminished since April 2022, following a UN-mediated truce.
Earlier the Security Council demanded the immediate and unconditional release of personnel from the United Nations, nongovernmental and civil society organizations and diplomatic missions who were detained by the Houthis in Yemen.
In a press statement on Thursday, the members of the Security Council reiterated that all threats to those delivering humanitarian aid and assistance are unacceptable. They reiterated their demand that the Houthis ensure respect of international humanitarian law with regard to safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to ensure assistance can reach civilians in need.
–IANS
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