Yemen: agreement reached between belligerents for the release of 1,400 prisoners

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting the Yemeni government against the Houthi separatists. REUTERS / Fawaz Salman

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In Yemen, an agreement was reached between belligerents for the release of prisoners. This would concern 1,400 detainees, according to the rebels, who hold part of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. The conflict, which started in late 2014, is still ongoing.

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This is the first exchange of large-scale prisoners that is looming, according to the United Nations. After seven days of negotiations in Jordan, representatives of the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels agreed to release detainees from both sides. A total of 14,000 people according to a rebel statement. It remains to materialize this exchange.

Things are moving slowly

Prisoners have been released in the past. But not on this scale, and the UN requests that this be done quickly because things have been progressing slowly since the signing in 2018 of a vast agreement between belligerents which already included a section on detainees.

Again and again clashes

On the ground, the clashes continue. This weekend, a Saudi Tornado fighter-bomber crashed; Houthi rebels claim to have killed him. In retaliation, raids were carried out and civilians killed. Saudi Arabia leads a coalition in support of the Yemeni government against the Houthi rebels. The war has been going on for five years and has left tens of thousands dead, according to several aid organizations.

Yemen: 31 civilians killed in raids after the crash of a coalition plane

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  • Yemen
  • Defense
  • Humanitarian

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