The Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen and the rebel Houthis completed a three-day prisoner exchange on Sunday, April 16. Close to 900 prisoners have been exchanged between the two warring sides over the past several days as part of the deal that comes in the wake of peace and reconciliation talks going on between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia—the primary supporter of the Yemeni government. The peace talks also come in the aftermath of a China-brokered rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia. A resolution towards ending the years-long war in Yemen was reportedly one of the key issues in the Saudi-Iran rapprochement.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), two planes carrying prisoners took off at the same time from Sana’a and Marib on Sunday April 16, controlled by the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces, respectively. Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC Regional Director for the Near and Middle East, said, “This operation to reunite hundreds of families torn apart by conflict comes during the holy month of Ramadan as a sign of goodwill and a glimmer of hope amid great suffering. We hope that such operations will give impetus to a broader political solution, which we hope will lead to the return of more detainees to their loved ones.”
On Saturday, the two sides exchanged 357 prisoners, who were freed from the Saudi city of Abha and Yemeni capital Sana’a. Similarly, on Friday, 318 prisoners onboard four flights took off from Sana’a and the Saudi-backed government-controlled city of Aden. The prisoner exchange is the result of an agreement reached during talks in Switzerland last month. However, it is still unclear how many prisoners both sides are still keeping under detention or when they will be released.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, who helped broker the prisoner exchange agreement in Switzerland, commented, “This release operation comes at a time of hope for Yemen as a reminder that constructive dialogue and mutual compromises are powerful tools capable of achieving great outcomes. Today, hundreds of Yemeni families get to celebrate Eid with their loved ones because the parties negotiated and reached an agreement. I hope this spirit is reflected in ongoing efforts to advance a comprehensive political solution.”
Aside from the prisoner exchange deal, several other confidence building measures have also been initiated. For instance, the Saudi-led military coalition recently announced that it will lift the eight-year-long blockade on imports going to ports in Southern Yemen. Subsequently, reports on Monday said that two ships carrying 784 containers loaded with commercial goods arrived at the port in the city of Hodeidah in Houthi-controlled territory.
Both sides have also expressed willingness to hold future talks for a long-term ceasefire agreement. The Houthis have indicated that talks will take place after the religious festival of Eid, expected to fall on April 21.
The Yemen conflict has been ongoing since 2014 when the rebel Houthis captured Sana’a along with large portions of the country. In 2015, a Saudi-led military coalition invaded the country to re-install the ousted government, resulting in a prolonged conflict. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have died as a result and millions are internally displaced and dependent on humanitarian assistance.
