Yemen’s Houthis Release 153 Prisoners of War in Unilateral Move

The release, facilitated by the Red Cross, is described as a humanitarian gesture but comes amid ongoing detentions of UN staff by the rebel group.

The Houthi rebels in Yemen have unilaterally released 153 prisoners of war to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the capital, Sanaa.
The released individuals were described as humanitarian cases, including the sick, wounded, and elderly, according to Houthi officials.
The ICRC facilitated the release, conducting medical checks and ensuring humane treatment during detention, and welcomed the move as a step toward renewed negotiations.
The release follows recent Houthi detentions of seven UN staff members, prompting calls from the UN for their immediate and unconditional release.
The decade-long conflict in Yemen has caused over 150,000 deaths and left 18 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, with a fragile ceasefire largely holding in recent years.