Yemen gov't, Houthis to release more than 1,600 POWs in 'largest' swap
May 15, 2026
Sanaa [Yemen], May 15: Yemen's internationally recognised government and the Houthi group have signed a United Nations-backed agreement in Jordan to exchange more than 1,600 detainees, marking the largest prisoner exchange since the country's civil war began in September 2014.
Under the accord, the Houthis will release 580 prisoners, including seven Saudis and 20 Sudanese, while the government will release 1,100 Houthi prisoners, Houthi official Abdulqader Al Mortada said in a post on social media on Thursday.
Separately, Yahya Kazman, the deputy head of the government negotiating team, said in a post on X that nearly 1,728 detainees from both sides will be released as part of what he called the "largest" agreement of its kind.
The deal follows more than three months of negotiations held in the Jordanian capital Amman in line with an agreement reached by both parties in December after UN-facilitated consultations in the Omani capital Muscat.
Source: Qatar Tribune
