Middle East Conflict: Houthi rebels in Yemen free prisoners affiliated with country's official government
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Yemen's Houthi rebels have freed dozens of prisoners affiliated with the Aden-based government. The rebels have been fighting against the Yemeni government in a civil war that has lasted for more than a decade. Previous releases of prisoners in Yemen have been used a means to resume negotiations. CGTN's Ehab Al-Fandi reports.

In a unilateral move, the Ansar Allah group, also known as the Houthis, released 153 prisoners from the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The International Committee of the Red Cross supervised their release.

The Houthis described the step as a goodwill gesture to advance prisoner exchanges, one of the most complex issues in the Yemeni conflict.

ABDULQADER AL-MURTADHA Head, Ansar Allah Prisoner Committee "We hope this initiative will serve as a positive boost for all our efforts, and move the humanitarian issue forward to the stage where we can implement all the agreements that have been reached."

ISKANDER SAEED Official Spokesperson International Committee of the Red Cross "The International Committee of the Red Cross is pleased to be part of this operation, as well as previous ones. This is a positive step, at the start of 2025, to revive the Stockholm negotiations."

Moataz Amer, one of the released prisoners, regained his freedom today after nearly six years in captivity. It was an emotional scene, filled with tears of joy as he warmly embraced his family after years of painful separation caused by the war.

MOATAZ AMER Ex-prisoner "My feeling today is absolutely incredible because of this initiative. I was released after six years of captivity. It's an overwhelming feeling that I can't even put into words. I met my family after six years, and I didn't even recognize my brothers anymore."

Since the war in Yemen began in 2015, the prisoner issue has been among the most pressing humanitarian challenges. Despite ongoing UN efforts, progress in negotiations has been limited. During the Sweden talks in 2018, both sides exchanged lists with over 15,000 names. But only 1,787 prisoners have been released so far, with no accurate data on the total number of prisoners behind bars.

EHAB AL-FANDI Sana'a, Yemen "The scenes are emotional as families are reunited with their loved ones. But the issue of imprisonment is still very much a part of the complex crisis in Yemen. Yet, there is hope that an initiative such as this will lead to a comprehensive solution, and eventually liberation for the thousands more in prisons still hoping and waiting to be released. Ehab Al-fandi, CGTN, Sana'a, Yemen."