Plane carrying freed Yemeni prisoners arrives in Sanaa

The flight from the southern Saudi city of Abha took off before 9 am (0600 GMT) carrying 120 former detainees, ICRC spokeswoman Jessica Moussan said, part of a multi-day exchange involving nearly 900 prisoners.

Earlier, an exchange of more than 800 prisoners linked to Yemen’s long-running war began on Friday, the International Committee for the Red Cross said.

The United Nations-brokered deal, in the works for months, comes amid concerted diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict.

The three-day operation will be the most significant prisoner exchange in Yemen since the Saudi-led coalition and Ansarullah forces released more than 1,000 detainees in October 2020.

Thousands of people are still believed to be held as prisoners of war since the conflict erupted, with others missing. But Fabrizio Carboni, the Red Cross’ regional director, said the release “gives a sense of momentum” for efforts to end the war.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the swap of about 900 conflict-related detainees in the Yemeni war, said his spokesman.

MNA/PR