The international community welcomed the ongoing prisoner exchange process until next Sunday between the Houthi group and the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The first batch of detainees from all parties, including Saudi Arabia, was released, with more than 800 prisoners to be freed on Thursday and Friday.

This step comes as an actual implementation of the terms of the agreement held between the two parties last month in the Swiss city of Bern, and ongoing efforts by the Sultanate of Oman, Yemen’s close neighboring country, which has refrained from entering the war, enabling it to act as a mediator for the conflicting parties. It is worth mentioning that the Omani and Saudi delegation visited the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, and met with the head of the political council of the Ansar Allah Houthis to extend the truce between the parties and to put the final touches on a permanent and comprehensive agreement despite all the challenges hindering the cessation of the war that has lasted for more than eight years and caused a great famine among the Yemeni community.

 Among the freed detainees were the brother of former president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, the former defense minister, and the son and brother of the Yemeni Leadership Council deputy Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh.