Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday (September 30th) released 290 prisoners, including 42 survivors of a Saudi-led air attack on a detention center, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement. communicated.
UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, hailed the Yemeni rebel initiative, which is part of the Swedish agreement reached in December 2018, and called on "all parties to ensure the return of security of released detainees in their homes ".
In its statement, the ICRC welcomed "a positive step" that will boost the implementation of the Swedish agreement.
This UN-brokered deal includes a truce in Hodeida, a strategic port city in western Yemen, a prisoner exchange and de-escalation around the city of Taez (southwest) . The prisoner exchange component has so far not been implemented, despite government-rebel meetings and the development of a list of thousands of detainees.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said at a TV news conference on Sunday that "more than 200 fighters (Loyalists) were killed in drone attacks and missile strikes as they attempted to 'escape or surrender' during a major rebel offensive last August.
"More than 2,000 fighters have been taken prisoner," he added, adding that most of them were Yemenis. But they would not be among the released prisoners on Monday.
Saudi Arabia has been active in Yemen since March 2015 after capturing large areas, including Sanaa, by Houthis from the north and backed by Iran.
With AFP