Breakthrough Deal Reached to Free 1,750 Detainees in Yemen

September Net

The Yemeni government delegation leading talks on prisoner releases announced Thursday it had secured an agreement to free around 1,750 captives held by various factions, including 27 personnel from the Arab Coalition.

According to the delegation, the
pact was the culmination of a process initiated in Muscat, Oman, on December 11, 2025, applying an “all-for-all” approach.

Negotiations included a round of indirect talks in Riyadh lasting a month, followed by 90 days of direct dialogue in Jordan between February 5 and May 6, 2026, overcoming multiple hurdles.

The delegation emphasized it had engaged in the talks with high national and humanitarian commitment, prioritizing success in the talks and the return of detainees to their families. The effort had direct backing from President Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, and council members and the government.

The statement lauded Saudi Arabia’s sustained focus on the issue. It also expressed appreciation to Jordan’s government and people for their facilitation and support of the talks, and acknowledged assistance from the UN Special Envoy’s office and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Regarding activist Mohamed Qahtan, the deal calls for forming a team including both sides and his family to travel to Sanaa to check on his status and take steps, with the ICRC present as a neutral party, ahead of the main prisoner release.

The pact also includes provisions for reciprocal visits to prisons and detention sites in a second phase after the release is carried out.