Agreement Among Yemeni Groups on the Exchange of Over 15,000 Prisoners

The government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and representatives of Yemen's Houthis agreed on Tuesday to exchange over 15,000 prisoners. The aim of this exchange is to build trust for the initiation of peace talks supported by the United Nations. According to Reuters, the Yemeni parties' discussions, which are set to continue until Wednesday in Sweden, still have significant issues to resolve, including establishing a ceasefire in the port city of Hodeidah, reopening Sanaa airport, and strengthening Yemen's central bank. These talks are taking place amid pressure from Western countries on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which lead the Arab coalition in the Yemen war, to end the conflict in the country. Representatives from both sides stated that the prisoner exchange is expected to take place through Sanaa airport, controlled by the Houthis, and Sayoun airport, under government control, with the process monitored by the UN and the International Red Cross. A majority of Houthi representatives in the Sweden negotiations told Reuters that each side has listed over 7,000 prisoners, including around 200 senior officials. Meanwhile, Yemen's foreign minister tweeted that the Yemeni government has submitted a list of 8,576 prisoners, which includes journalists and civil activists. Reuters also reported that the Houthi delegation stated a joint committee will investigate the fate of the missing. The discussions on Tuesday were expected to focus on the fate of the battle in Hodeidah, a key Red Sea port crucial for delivering humanitarian aid to millions of Yemenis. So far, both sides have agreed to place this port under UN supervision, but there is disagreement over control of the city of Hodeidah. The Houthis believe that Hodeidah should be declared a neutral zone, while Mansur Hadi's government seeks to dominate the city. At the same time, the UN representative's request is to prevent attacks by the Arab coalition on Hodeidah. The Arab coalition's attacks on Hodeidah have recently aimed to weaken the Houthis, who control major population centers in Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. The Arab coalition has been involved in the Yemen conflict since spring 2015, aiming to stabilize the power of Mansur Hadi's government, although this civil war, which has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced, is largely viewed as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which is a staunch supporter of the Houthis.