Saudi prisoners will be freed only after the release of all Yemeni captives held by the Yemeni government and members of the Saudi-led coalition that backs it in the conflict against Houthis, Abdulqadir Murtada, the head of the Houthi delegation at the settlement talks in Jordan, told Sputnik on Tuesday
AMMAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2019) Saudi prisoners will be freed only after the release of all Yemeni captives held by the Yemeni government and members of the Saudi-led coalition that backs it in the conflict against Houthis, Abdulqadir Murtada, the head of the Houthi delegation at the settlement talks in Jordan, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
The office of UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said Monday that the committee on prisoner exchange, including representatives of the Yemeni government and Houthi movement would launch talks on Tuesday, to discuss the finalization of the lists of prisoners.
"Only Saudi Arabia is responsible for the fate of Yemeni prisoners in Yemen and beyond, while the fate of Saudi prisoners is fully linked to the fate of Yemeni captives. Saudi prisoners will be released only if all Yemeni captives held by Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are released," Murtada said.
The head of the Houthi delegation added that there would be a statement after the meetings, when asked whether there was an agreement.
The Yemeni government and the Houthis have been locked in deadly conflict for several years. The Saudi-led coalition, which backs the government, has been carrying out airstrikes and imposing naval and air blockades in Yemen. According to United Nations Human Rights Office, at least 6,660 civilians were killed and 10,563 were injured in Yemen between March 2015 and August 2018.
