Sanaa, Aug 15 (IANS): Yemen's government forces conducted a prisoner swap with the Houthi militia in the country's northeastern province of al-Jawf, a military official said.

The official told Xinhua news agency that "the Sixth Regional Military Command succeeded in exchanging prisoners with representatives of the Houthi group" on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

He confirmed that the government forces released four members of the Houthi group captured during previous battles.

In return, the Iranian-backed Houthis released four soldiers of the government forces from the militia's jail.

Yemen's local tribal mediators have more than once succeeded in completing prisoner exchanges between government forces and the Houthis.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition against the Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen for more than five years in support of the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.