Saudi-led coalition set to release 163 Houthis

The Saudi-led coalition fighting against the Houthi rebels in Yemen has said it will release 163 prisoners as part of a humanitarian effort.

The move is aimed at supporting work to end the crisis in the country and pave the way for talks between the warring Yemeni parties, the Saudi Press Agency quoted coalition spokesman Brig Gen Turki Al Malki as saying on Thursday.

He said the initiative would support UN efforts to strengthen a two-month ceasefire and “prepare the atmosphere for dialogue between the Yemeni sides and facilitate closing the prisoners and detainees file”.

Earlier on Thursday, UN special envoy Hans Grundberg said on Twitter that all parties repeated their commitment to upholding the nationwide truce.

The ceasefire came into effect on April 2 and was the most significant step towards peace in years.

The coalition has started the process of releasing the prisoners in co-ordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

They will be taken to the Yemeni capital Sanaa, Brig Gen Al Malki said.

The nationwide truce is the first to be established in Yemen in six years.

The move included allowing fuel imports into some Houthi-held areas, as well as plans to operate some flights from Sanaa airport.

The flights have not yet started, but Mr Grundberg said the UN was working to ensure they go ahead.

“We are working tirelessly to help them [the parties] identify solutions to resume flights from Sanaa,” Mr Grundberg said.

The last major prisoner exchange in Yemen took place in 2020 and involved about 1,000 detainees.

It was part of confidence-building measures agreed to at peace talks held in 2018.

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthis seized Sanaa.

A presidential council has been selected to provide security across government-held parts of the country, including Aden.

This week, the deputy chief of the council, Maj Gen Aidaroos Al Zubeidi, said its priorities included tackling corruption and rebuilding vital public services.

He said the council had held talks with the Yemeni Cabinet about drawing up a plan of action to begin introducing the council’s plans.