Yemen’s warring rivals free 14 prisoners in latest swap

By Shukri Hussein

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels exchanged 14 prisoners on Monday, in the latest swap between the two warring rivals, according to a local military official.

“Seven army soldiers were freed in exchange for seven Houthi rebels,” Col. Yahya al-Haser, who is in charge of military prisoners in northern Yemen, told Anadolu.

He said the exchange took place in al-Jadafer, north of the Marib province.

There was no confirmation yet from the Houthi group.

Early on Monday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen released 104 Houthi prisoners, one day after nearly 900 prisoners were freed as part of a swap deal between the Yemeni government and rebels.

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