Yemen's Houthi group on Saturday released 159 prisoners whom it described as having surrendered during recent fighting, under an amnesty issued by the group's leadership.
Abdul Qader al-Murtada, head of the Houthis' prisoner affairs committee, announced the release at a press conference in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.
Al-Murtada described the prisoners as fighters who had "voluntarily surrendered without fighting" during recent combats, without identifying the forces to which they belonged or specifying where they were captured.
He said the release was carried out under a general amnesty issued on Sept. 10 by Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council.
According to al-Murtada, Saturday's release was the second batch carried out under the amnesty, following the release of 323 prisoners in the Red Sea province of Hodeidah on Sept. 15. He said dozens of others had also been released in separate operations in Taiz province.
"This release is the second batch carried out under the amnesty. Earlier on Sept. 15, we released the first batch in Hodeidah. There were a total of 323 prisoners released in the first batch. They voluntarily surrendered. In addition, on the battlefield in Taiz province, we also released in several batches dozens of others who voluntarily surrendered and did not engage in combat," said al-Murtada.
The released prisoners would be returned to their home areas and families in coordination with local authorities in their respective provinces, which would handle arrangements concerning their status, al-Murtada said.
"This joy is beyond words -- it comes from my heart. We had always been with our brothers, we cannot say that we are now going back to our brothers, but we are indeed going back to our families. It is impossible to describe my joy from heart," said Mohamed Sefiani, a released prisoner.
"Thank goodness, we will return safely to our families today," said another released prisoner named Tahir al-Tahbali.
The release came amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and the forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government, which is backed by the Saudi-led coalition.
The warring sides have conducted several prisoner exchanges under UN-mediated agreements in recent years.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, forcing the internationally recognized government out of the capital. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the government.
The latest developments come amid renewed hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with both sides exchanging attacks and military warnings in recent days.
Yemen's Houthis say 159 prisoners released after surrendering in recent fighting
Yemen's Houthis say 159 prisoners released after surrendering in recent fighting
