Houthis release 159 detainees in Sanaa — Anadolu Agency

In Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, the Houthis released 159 people whom they had recently detained. The unilateral release was carried out by the authorities in Sanaa with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Anadolu Agency reports.

Assistance after release

ICRC representatives spoke with the detainees before their release, informed their families and provided assistance for their return home. Medical teams also assessed the people’s health and their ability to travel by road.

For those who needed additional support during the journey, the organization provided travel assistance. The ICRC stressed that it did not determine exactly who or how many people were to be released.

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Release outside the Stockholm Agreement

According to the ICRC, the release was initiated by the Houthi-affiliated National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs. It did not take place under the Stockholm Agreement, concluded in Sweden in December 2018 under UN auspices between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthis.

The Houthis said that those released were prisoners who had voluntarily surrendered without fighting during recent events. The group also said that the people were released under an amnesty issued by Mahdi al-Mashat, head of its Supreme Political Council.

Fighting in Yemen

The release took place amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and forces affiliated with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is supported by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition. The Houthis have controlled the capital, Sanaa, and large areas in the north and west of the country since 2014.