Scores of Yemen rebels flown from Saudi Arabia to Sanaa in prisoner swap

By Anadolu Staff

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – Saudi Arabia on Saturday released scores of Houthi rebels as part of a prisoner swap with the Yemeni insurgent group.

"Our plane carrying 120 former detainees and coming from Abha [city in] Saudi Arabi arrived in Sanaa. Moments of joy as hundreds of families are finally reunited," the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement.

According to an Anadolu reporter, the freed prisoners were caught in battles between the Houthi group and the Saudi-led coalition forces.

"A flight from Sanaa to Riyadh also departed earlier today, with 20 former detainees on board," ICRC said.

On Friday, the Yemeni government said the first phase of a prisoner exchange was accomplished during which 320 prisoners from both sides were released.

On March 20, the Yemeni government announced an agreement with the Houthi group to release 887 prisoners and abductees from both sides, at the conclusion of consultations held in Switzerland.

Last year, the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels signed a UN-brokered deal to free 2,000 prisoners, but their release was disrupted amid mutual accusations of violations of the agreement.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar