The Yemen coalition government and the Houthi armed forces exchange 36 prisoners of war
Xinhua News Agency, Cairo, February 28 (Reporter Wang Shang) News from Aden: The Yemeni coalition government and the Houthi armed forces controlling the northern part of the country exchanged 36 prisoners of war in the northern province of Marib on the 28th.
An officer of the Yemeni government army said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that the Yemeni coalition government and the Houthis had each released 18 combatants from each other in Marib Province.
The tribal elders of Marib coordinated and facilitated the exchange of prisoners.
According to Yemen’s Saba News Agency, 18 Houthi fighters were released on the 28th.
Marib Province is the main oil producing area in Yemen, and it is also the seat of the multinational force command headed by Saudi Arabia.
Since January this year, Houthi armed forces and Yemeni government forces have fought fiercely in the province, resulting in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of more than 1,200 families.
In September 2014, the Houthis in Yemen seized the capital Sana’a and then occupied southern Yemen.
In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and other countries launched a military operation code-named "Decisive Storm" against the Houthis.
In December 2018, under the mediation of the United Nations, the Yemeni government and the Houthis reached an agreement on important issues such as a ceasefire and the exchange of prisoners of war, but soon the two sides accused each other of breaking the ceasefire agreement.
In December 2020, the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council formed a coalition government.
So far, most parts of southern Yemen have achieved nominal unity.