The United States welcomes a UN-mediated prisoner exchange in Yemen, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2023) The United States welcomes a UN-mediated prisoner exchange in Yemen, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday.
"The United States welcomes the exchange of nearly 900 prisoners across both sides of the conflict today in Yemen," Sullivan said in a statement.
The prisoner exchange deal was reached between the Yemeni government and the rebel Houthi movement during talks in Switzerland in March. About 320 prisoners were released on Friday, the first day of the swap, sources at airports in the country's north and south told Sputnik. The exchange is expected to be carried out in stages.
"The past year in Yemen has been the quietest since the war began, saving thousands of Yemeni lives and allowing for vast increases in humanitarian assistance, fuel imports, and civilian flights to and from Sanaa. Building on the prisoner exchange today, we encourage all parties to further consolidate these positive trends and ultimately forge a diplomatic resolution to the conflict," Sullivan said.
A truce that had been in effect in Yemen for half a year expired in October after the sides failed to agree on the distribution of oil revenues. Nevertheless, the ceasefire has since largely held.
Earlier on Friday, a Houthi official said that peace talks with Saudi Arabia had made progress.
