Daijiworld Media Network - Sanaa

Sanaa, Jun 7: In a significant move that could impact the course of Yemen’s prolonged civil war, the Houthi group announced its willingness to exchange all prisoners with the Yemeni government.

Abdul Qader al-Murtada, head of the Houthis’ prisoner affairs committee, stated via the Houthi-run Saba news agency that the group is ready for “a full exchange process that includes all prisoners from all parties without exception.” He urged the Saudi government to pressure the Yemeni government “to respond to the initiative without preconditions.”

The internationally recognized Yemeni government has yet to respond, according to reports.

This offer marks one of the most comprehensive prisoner swap proposals from the Houthis since the civil war erupted in late 2014, when the group seized much of northern Yemen, forcing the Yemeni government from the capital, Sanaa.

Despite intermittent clashes over the years, hostilities have largely diminished since a UN-mediated truce took effect in April 2022. Past prisoner exchanges have offered glimmers of hope: in 2023, the UN brokered a major swap that freed around 900 prisoners, while another deal in 2020 saw roughly 1,000 detainees released on both sides.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of personnel from the United Nations, NGOs, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions who were recently detained by the Houthis. In a statement on Thursday, the Council condemned all threats to humanitarian workers and reiterated that safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access must be ensured so that aid reaches civilians in need.

While the latest Houthi proposal signals a potential thaw in prisoner-related negotiations, broader peace efforts remain uncertain, with the humanitarian crisis continuing to weigh heavily on Yemen’s population.