(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ADEN, Oct 15 (KUNA) -- Yemeni Prime Minister Maaen Abdulmalik welcomed release of hundreds of prisoners of war (POWs) in implementation of a UN-brokered prisoner exchange between his government and the Iran-backed Houthi militias.
In a statement carried by the Yemeni news agency (Saba), Abdulmalik lauded the international efforts to help release these prisoners.
He vowed that his government would do all in power to ensure freedom of all prisoners, detainees, missing persons, arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared persons.
The premier re-affirmed his government's full commitment to its obligations in this regard and urged the international community to press Houthi militias to do their part and to stop their illegal practices of torturing prisoners, arresting and putting on trial innocent people who are living in areas under their control.
Earlier, the International Committee of the Red Cross, which coordinates the prisoners swap deal, said seven flights had carried a total of 700 prisoners from both sides to Yemeni and Saudi airports on Thursday.
It added that prisoner repatriation flights would be completed Friday.
The prisoners exchange deal between the government and Houthi militia covers 1,081 prisoners: 681 Houthis and 400 Yemeni government and coalition prisoners. (end)
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