Yemen's warring sides agree to swap over 1,400 detainees
As several signed agreements by Yemeni warring sides still stumble, it's hard to predict if this major swap will be implemented amid rising tension in the wake of the downing of a Tornado jet in north Yemen.
SANAA, Yemen — When Yemen's warring sides signed an agreement Feb. 16 in Jordan to swap more than 1,400 detainees under the auspices of the United Nations, questions arose about the parties’ commitment to its implementation. The agreement was seen as a major confidence-building step between the two sides.
The agreement comes in light of a military escalation in the northern al-Jawf province between the Saudi-backed forces and the Iran-aligned Houthis, raising concerns over the implementation of this long-delayed prisoner swap.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea announced in a Feb. 14 tweet the downing of a Tornado jet “on a hostile mission” using “advanced surface-to-air missiles.” In another tweet, Sarea said footage of the downing would be released.
Saudi-led coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Malki confirmed in a statement run by the Saudi state news agency Feb. 15 that a jet crashed while on a mission to support government forces.
