RIYADH: The Arab coalition fighting to restore the legitimate government in Yemen said on Sunday that it views a Yemeni prisoner swap as a “positive agreement.”
Yemen’s warring sides agreed earlier on Sunday to exchange 1,081 detainees and prisoners during the first stage of talks in Switzerland.
The Arab coalition said the prisoner exchange agreement was “purely humanitarian,” and in line with the Stockholm Agreement.
It has almost been two years since an agreement between the Yemeni government and the Iran-backed Houthi militia was signed in Sweden, with the aim of ending the brutal conflict that has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Spokesperson Col. Turki Al-Maliki said the Houthi militia will release 400 government prisoners while the Yemeni government will free 681 Houthi fighters, including on-the-ground deals for 20 prisoners.
Col. Al-Maliki said the coalition’s top priority is to recover the prisoners as soon as possible, adding that the agreement included the release of 15 Saudi soldiers and four Sudanese nationals.
He also said the Red Cross is expected to supervise the prisoner exchange process in Yemen.
Col. Al-Maliki called on the Houthi militia to not undermine the efforts of the UN special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths, saying there was a real desire to implement all the points of the Stockholm Agreement.
Arab coalition says Yemeni prisoner swap ‘positive’ step
https://arab.news/2qauq
Arab coalition says Yemeni prisoner swap ‘positive’ step
- Agreement includes release of 15 Saudi soldiers, 4 Sudanese nationals
- Red Cross to supervise prisoner exchange process in Yemen
Iranian missiles fly over Israel and the West Bank
- Explosions could be heard as Israeli defenses activated to shoot down incoming Iranian fire
Missiles were seen flying towards Israel in the early hours of Saturday, as the Israeli military said it identified missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.
Shortly after the fresh barrage the army said it had begun a new wave of strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure in Tehran.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency has meanwhile reported that heavy air attacks hit Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport.
Israel also launched fresh attacks on Lebanon and said it was attacking Iranian and Hezbollah targets.
There was no immediate comment from Iran's Revolutionary Guard or Hezbollah. Hezbollah has fired rockets at Israel, sparking Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and Lebanon's east and south.
Inside Israel, explosions could be heard as Israeli defenses activated to shoot down incoming Iranian fire.
