Yemen’s Houthis Release 159 Detainees in Sanaa With Red Cross Support

GOOBJOOG NEWS|SANAA: Yemen’s Houthi movement released 159 conflict-related detainees in the capital, Sanaa, on Saturday, October 17, in an operation supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The detainees were reportedly members of forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government who had surrendered without fighting, according to a Houthi official.

The official said the release was part of a broader amnesty initiative targeting fighters who voluntarily lay down their weapons and surrender to Houthi forces.

The move follows another release in September, when Houthi authorities said they had freed 323 detainees in the western province of Hodeidah.

The ICRC confirmed its involvement in Saturday’s operation, saying its personnel conducted individual interviews with the detainees before their release, notified their families and assessed their medical conditions.

The humanitarian organisation also facilitated their safe return home, providing transportation and additional assistance to those requiring medical support.

However, the ICRC clarified that it had no role in determining which detainees would be released or deciding their number.

It also said the operation was not conducted under the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, a UN-brokered peace initiative that included provisions for the exchange of prisoners between Yemen’s warring parties.

The latest release comes amid renewed fighting in Yemen following the collapse of a prolonged period of relative calm, with clashes between Houthi fighters and government-aligned forces worsening the country’s already fragile security and humanitarian situation.

The Houthis have controlled Sanaa and large parts of northern and western Yemen since 2014, when they seized the capital, triggering a conflict that subsequently drew in a Saudi-led military coalition supporting the internationally recognised government.

More than a decade of conflict has left Yemen facing widespread displacement, economic hardship and a prolonged humanitarian crisis.

Although the release of the 159 detainees represents a humanitarian development, it remains unclear whether the move could pave the way for a broader prisoner exchange agreement or contribute to renewed negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.