The delegation of the Houthis returned to Sanaa on Thursday after signing an agreement with Yemen's government to exchange detainees. During their talks in the Jordanian capital of Amman, the two sides signed the agreement to exchange around 1,750 detainees from both sides following months of UN-sponsored negotiations.
The agreement includes the release of detainees linked to the Yemeni government, the Houthis, allied military formations, and members of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, according to statements issued by the two sides.
This marks the largest exchange of detainees between the two sides since the conflict in Yemen broke out in 2014.
The swap is expected to take place on July 10 this year.
"Before the swap, there are still some procedures that we will announce at an appropriate time, such as confirming whether there are any detainees left in both sides' prisons. In addition, we also need to prepare for welcoming the released detainees back," said Abdul Qader al-Murtada, head of the Houthis' prisoner affairs committee.
A UN-mediated truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, brokered in April 2022, lasted six months before expiring. However, both sides have largely maintained a "de facto ceasefire" since then.
The last major UN-mediated detainees swap between the two sides took place in 2023, with around 900 detainees released.
Houthis delegation returns to Sanaa for prisoner swap
Houthis delegation returns to Sanaa for prisoner swap
Houthis delegation returns to Sanaa for prisoner swap
