Yemen swap to involve 15,000 prisoners

Gargash warns against legalising armed militias within state

Yemen’s government and Al Houthis announced plans yesterday for a mass prisoner swap, exchanging some 15,000 names, as UN-brokered talks on ending the country’s war entered their seventh day.

The government of Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Al Houthis are in Sweden for discussions on the devastating conflict. Al Houthis announced the names of 15,000 detainees and prisoners had been exchanged. A source in the government delegation said their side had released the names of 8,200 detainees but declined to comment on the combined total.

Earlier, Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said that it was important for Yemen peace talks in Sweden not to legalise the existence of armed militias within the state. “There have been painful experiences in the Arab region that set off warning bells. It is necessary to maintain the basic terms of reference for the solution in Yemen, including UN Resolution 2216, to ensure it is durable. Optimism is essential, however, interruption and procrastination are unacceptable,” he tweeted.

Atruce between warring parties in Yemen is unlikely from the round of hardwon UN talks underway between the government and Al Houthi militia, a government representative said yesterday.

“This has been proposed as part of the general framework, and this is what we came to make progress on: a full, complete ceasefire. But I think we will be unable to achieve this progress in this round,” Yemeni government delegate Askar Zaeel told AFP. ”This is a round of talks to prepare for that.”

Meanwhile, the UN said on Monday it was seeking $4 billion to provide humanitarian aid to some 20 million Yemenis next year - or about 70 per cent of the war-stricken country’s population.

Donors conference

Each year, the world body needs an additional billion dollars, UN Under Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said. A donors’ conference backed by Sweden, Switzerland and the UN is set to take place on February 26 in Geneva.

Yemen’s government and Al Houthis also announced yesterday plans for a mass prisoner swap, exchanging some 15,000 names.

Al Houthis announced that the names of a total of 15,000 detainees and prisoners had been exchanged. A source in the government delegation said their side had released the names of 8,200 detainees but declined to comment on the combined total.

Both parties have two weeks to revise the list of names. According to a member of Al Houthi delegation, January 20 has been agreed as the final date for the swap.

The Sweden talks are the first meeting between the two parties in the Yemen conflict, which pits the Iran-backed Al Houthis against the coalitionbacked Hadi government.

The government has been battling the Al Houthi militia in Yemen for nearly four years, spawning what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Earlier, Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said that it was important for Yemen peace talks in Sweden not to legalise the existence of armed militias within the state.