UN Hails Agreement to Free Over 1,600 Detainees in Yemen

(MENAFN) The United Nations has expressed approval of a significant agreement reached between Yemen’s government and the Houthi movement to release more than 1,600 individuals held in connection with the conflict. A senior UN official described the development as an important advancement in long-running efforts to resolve detainee-related issues.

Deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists that the progress represents a major step forward, saying:
"We welcome a major breakthrough in efforts to secure the release of conflict-related detainees.

"The parties to the conflict in Yemen agreed to release more than 1,600 conflict-related detainees, the largest such release deal since the start of the conflict,"

He noted that the agreement was the result of 14 weeks of intensive talks facilitated under UN supervision in Jordan.

Haq also reiterated the UN’s broader demand for the freedom of all individuals who are being held without proper legal basis, urging further action beyond the current deal. He stated:
"We continue to call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained by the Houthis, including personnel from the UN non-governmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions, as well as their families,"

According to Yemen’s government, Thursday marked the signing of what it described as the “largest” prisoner swap arrangement with the Houthi group, involving a total of 1,728 detainees exchanged between both sides.

Yemen has experienced a relative decline in large-scale fighting since April 2022, following a protracted war that began over 11 years ago. The conflict started between government forces and Houthi fighters, who currently maintain control over multiple provinces and major urban centers, including the capital, Sanaa, which they seized in September 2014.

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