Sanaa, (Yemen): Yemen’s Houthi rebel group Saturday unilaterally released 153 war prisoners detained during the civil war with Yemeni government forces, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.
The release in Sanaa was supported by an ICRC team after a request from the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs. The detainees had received regular visits from the ICRC as part of its efforts to ensure humane treatment and conditions for those held in connection to the conflict.
“This operation has brought much-needed relief and joy to families who have been anxiously waiting for the return of their loved ones. We know that many other families are also waiting for their chance to be reunited. We hope that today’s release will lead to many more moments like this,” said, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Yemen, Christine Cipolla.
The ICRC followed its standard procedures by conducting private interviews with the detainees to confirm their identities, inform families of their imminent release, and provide assistance for a dignified return home.
ICRC medical staff assessed the health of the detainees before their release, ensuring they were fit for travel and making special arrangements for those needing additional support.
“As with every release operation that the ICRC is part of in Yemen, we hold confidential conversations with all detainees to listen to any concerns about the process, ensure contact with their families, and gather necessary information for follow-up if needed,” said Alessia Bertelli, head of the ICRC’s protection department in Yemen.
The ICRC welcomed the unilateral release as a positive step towards reviving negotiations under the Stockholm Agreement.
“We remain ready to play our role as a neutral intermediary in facilitating the release, transfer, and repatriation of any persons held about the conflict in Yemen, as we did in 2020 and 2023, whenever the parties to the Stockholm Agreement decide to engage in such efforts again,” the ICRC said in a statement.
The ICRC operates as a neutral, impartial, and independent organisation with a humanitarian mandate under the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It works globally to protect lives, and dignity, and to alleviate suffering caused by armed conflict and violence, often in partnership with Red Cross and Red Crescent organisations.
IANS
