Yemeni army, Houthi rebels exchange prisoners

SANAA, Yemen

The Yemeni army and the Houthi rebel group on Monday carried out a new prisoner swap in the eastern Marib province, an army official said.

Twenty-one prisoners were released from both sides, Col. Yahya Al-Haser, head of the Committee of Prisoners and Detainees in the Sixth Military Region based in Al-Jawf province, told Anadolu Agency.

"The exchange process came after great efforts by the Prisoners Committee of the Sixth Military District," he added.

In October, the government and the Houthis exchanged 1,056 prisoners in the largest exchange deal since the start of the war nearly seven years ago.

Yemen has been ravaged by violence and instability since 2014 when Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

It has since caused one of the world's worst man-made humanitarian crises, with 80% of the population in need of assistance and protection.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat