Updated 28 September 2020 at 12:39 IST
Yemen warring sides agree on release of prisoners in UN-brokered deal
The United Nations on September 27 announced that the rival factions in war-torn Yemen have agreed to exchange over 1,000 prisoners.
The United Nations on September 27 announced that the rival factions in war-torn Yemen have agreed to exchange over 1,000 prisoners. UN said that delegates from the Yemen government and the Ansar Allah, formally known as the Houthi rebels, signed an agreement on Sunday and agreed to release 1,081 conflict-related individuals from prisons across the country.
"Today is an important day for over a thousand families who can expect to welcome back their loved ones hopefully very soon. I thank the parties for going beyond their differences and reaching an arrangement that will benefit Yemenis. In doing so, they will fulfill their commitments made in Stockholm and put an end to the misery of many more Yemeni families who are waiting for their loved ones," said the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths.
The United Nations is looking to capitalise on the latest development and is seeking a ceasefire between the two sides in accordance with the 2018 Stockholm Agreement. Griffiths called on the parties to build on this "very important achievement", and to move together towards a negotiated solution to bring lasting peace to Yemen. "The United Nations stands ready to support the parties, as well as the Yemeni people, in achieving that", Griffiths assured.
Yemen conflict
The war in Yemen broke in 2014 after Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital Sana'a and most of the country's north after dethroning President Abed Rabu Mansour Hadi’s government. The Yemen war intensified in early 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition joined the government's fight against Houthi rebels, instituting an aerial bombing campaign across the country, which was already suffering from the poverty at that time.
(Image Credit: AP)
Published By : Vishal Tiwari
Published On: 28 September 2020 at 12:39 IST