RIYADH: The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced on Thursday that it would release 163 Houthi prisoners who participated in combat operations against the Kingdom in a “humanitarian initiative,” Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The release falls within the context of the Kingdom’s previous humanitarian initiatives and aims to support efforts that seek to end the crisis in Yemen and achieve peace, coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said.
He added that the move also aims to strengthen UN efforts to maintain a truce, which went into effect on April 2, as well as to create a means of dialogue among the parties involved in the Yemen conflict and facilitate finalizing the prisoners’ and detainees’ issue in line with Muslim values and international principles.
“The Arab Coalition began finalizing the procedure to release all 163 prisoners in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross to transfer them to Sanaa,” Al-Maliki said.
He added that the Kingdom was keen on addressing and finalizing the issue of prisoners and detainees on a humanitarian basis “away from political and military gains and calculations.”
The truce which began on the first day of Ramadan has held for the most part.
