Yemeni local tribal mediation succeeds in releasing 135 prisoners
Hopes rise for a tribal role to be played in negotiating a cease-fire in Yemen, after local mediation succeeded in achieving several prisoner swap deals between the warring sides.
SANAA, Yemen — The prisoner exchange dossier between Yemen's internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels has witnessed significant progress recently when 135 prisoners (75 government forces and 60 Houthis) were released through local mediation. The swap was the largest ever mediated by local tribes since the war broke out in Yemen in 2015.
The office of UN envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths and the International Committee of the Red Cross — which have been playing a significant role in the prisoner swap file since the war started — have yet to comment on the recent exchange as of the time of this writing. Their silence seems unusual since both parties have always welcomed any step taken by any side, considering such steps as a sign of goodwill and a way to advance inclusive negotiations to end the almost five-year war in Yemen.
In the past months, the Yemeni government and Houthis have released several prisoners as part of small swap deals that included from seven to 15 prisoners through local mediation. But what makes the swap significant is the large number of prisoners who were released, thus boosting the positive role of local mediation.
“This deal was supposed to take place on Eid al-Adha [in August], but differences [arose] in regard to two names,” said Abdullah Shadad, a lawyer and member of the local mediation team.
