Houthis Report Huge Prisoner Swap With Saudis Agreed Upon

UN-backed deal will release over 2,200 prisoners

A key Houthi official has announced on Twitter that a major UN-backed prisoner swap was reached earlier this month, including over 2,200 prisoners.

1,400 Houthi prisoners would be traded for 823 from the pro-Saudi side. This includes 16 Saudis and three Sudanese. Among the prisoners are the brother of Yemen’s President Hadi, and a former defense minister.

More details are yet to be made public, but reportedly the prisoner lists are to be exchanged Tuesday. A final date for the exchange has not been set, but would be announced by the UN.

A big prisoner exchange like this would be an excellent confidence-builder toward a peace process, especially if it happens alongside a proposed Ramadan ceasefire. If this all pans out, it could be the most positive sign of an end to the Yemen War in years.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.