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In Yemen, Parties Exchange More Than 1,000 Prisoners

Margaret Besheer

   NEW YORK - The United Nations said Thursday that more than a thousand
   prisoners have been released from detention from both sides in Yemen's
   conflict, in the largest prisoner swap since the start of the conflict
   in 2015.

   "Since this morning, the skies of Yemen have seen an airlift of hope,"
   U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths told the U.N. Security
   Council from Amman, Jordan. "I commend the parties and their respective
   leadership for their commitment to constructively negotiate and
   successfully reach this agreement."

   Diplomats said 1,081 detainees, mainly Yemeni, are being released and
   transported home over two days starting Thursday, in accordance with an
   agreement negotiated in Montreux, Switzerland last month. Among them,
   some Saudi citizens were also repatriated. Griffiths said no women were
   among those released, but that the list of detainees was drawn up by
   the parties.

   Several thousand detainees remain in custody of the warring parties,
   but Thursday's release is the biggest so far in the conflict.

   "We hope that today's release operation is a good first step towards
   building the confidence needed between parties to the conflict in order
   to bring even more good news for Yemenis," Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC
   Regional Director for Near and Middle East, said from Yemen, where he
   was overseeing the transport operation.

   The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is acting as a
   neutral intermediary in transporting the former detainees. The aid
   organization is also carrying out medical checks to be sure individuals
   are healthy enough to travel, as well as following coronavirus
   prevention protocols in transporting them.

   Famine looms

   Despite the first good news on the political front in many months, the
   situation remains grim for millions of Yemenis, who could soon be
   facing famine.

   "Experts are increasingly worried that the window to prevent famine in
   Yemen is closing," U.N. Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock told the
   council.

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