Yemeni Gov‘t Accuses Houthis of Blocking Prisoner Exchange Deal

Aden – Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Friday accused the Houthi militia of derailing efforts to implement a long-awaited prisoner exchange, which had been scheduled to begin Saturday under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations.

According to the official Yemeni News Agency, Hadi Haig, head of the government’s negotiating team on detainees, said the ICRC and the UN envoy’s office informed the government that the Houthis had refused to proceed with the exchange on the agreed date, postponing it indefinitely.

Haig stressed that the government team had completed all necessary preparations to carry out the swap and release detainees, despite what he described as repeated Houthi attempts to obstruct the process. 

He held the militia fully responsible for the failure to implement the deal, accusing it of exploiting the humanitarian file for political, military, and economic blackmail.

The exchange agreement, signed under UN sponsorship, was expected to secure the release of 1,680 detainees including 1,100 from Houthi ranks and 580 from government and coalition forces. 

The plan envisioned three days of coordinated flights: the first between Aden and Sana’a, the second between Sana’a and Yemen’s western coast, and the third between Marib and Sana’a.

The government condemned the Houthis’ refusal as a deliberate act to prolong the suffering of detainees and their families, underscoring that the militia continues to manipulate humanitarian issues for leverage in the conflict.