US hostages in prisoner swap as hopes rise for Yemen peace deal

YEMEN’S warring parties began releasing more than 1,000 prisoners yesterday in the largest swap since the conflict started in 2014, a day after Houthi rebels freed two US hostages in exchange for the release of about 240 supporters.

The Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition fighting in support of Yemen’s government agreed in Switzerland last month to exchange 1,081 prisoners, including 15 Saudis and four Sudanese.

The prisoner swap, which involved planes taking off from the capital Sanaa and from Sayoun airport near the central city of Marib, is the largest in Yemen’s five-year conflict and has raised hopes of revitalising peace talks held in December 2018 that have since stalled.

“It’s going to be a great day,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the Middle East director for the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is helping coordinate the complex operation.

“I am more than happy to answer that the release operation has started in Yemen,” he wrote on Twitter.

The exchange follows the release on Wednesday of US hostages Sandra Loli, a humanitarian worker, and Mikael Gidada, a businessman, who were each held by the Houthis for more than a year. The remains of a third American identified as Bilal Fateen were also released, after he died of apparently natural causes in captivity. Few details on the hostages were provided by US officials, who said their release was urgent due to Ms Loli’s poor health.

In a deal brokered by the US and Omani governments, the Americans were released in exchange for about 240 supporters of the Iran-backed rebels, who were flown to Yemen from Oman. Their flight traversed Saudi airspace, indicating the kingdom’s acquiescence to the deal.

Mohammed Ali al-houthi, a member of the Houthi political council, said the Americans were detained for involvement in suspicious activity, which US officials dismissed as unfounded.

Mr Houthi said the deal had been timed by the US administration to benefit the re-election prospects of Donald Trump. “Trump wants to highlight this success in his forthcoming election campaign,” he posted on Twitter.