Sanaa: Hundreds of captives from Yemen's brutal civil war were set to be reunited with friends and family as a major prisoner swap started on Friday, hours after truce talks broke up with an agreement to meet again.
As hopes rise of an end to Yemen's devastating eight-year war, which pits Ansar Allah against a Saudi-led coalition, the first planeload of 35 prisoners flew from the Ansar Allah-held capital Sanaa to government-controlled Aden, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.
Another 125 prisoners took off in the opposite direction, the ICRC said. Two more flights are scheduled for the first day of the exchange, involving 322 captives. Nearly 900 will be released during the three-day operation.
Large crowds gathered at both airports. In Sanaa, Mohammed al Qubati said: "I have been waiting for this day for five years. I'm waiting for my father and my cousin."
And in Aden, there were celebrations when Yemen's former defence minister Mahmud al Subaihi, and the brother of the ex-president, Major General Nasser Mansur Hadi, emerged from the first plane as it landed.
The exchange and the truce negotiations in Sanaa come a month after Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties, triggering a wave of rapprochement across the troubled region.
A Saudi delegation led by Ambassador Mohammed al Jaber left Sanaa late on Thursday without a finalised truce but with plans for another round of talks, according to Ansar Allah and Yemeni government sources.
"There is an initial agreement on a truce that should be announced later on, if finalised," an Ansar Allah official said that was confirmed by a government source.
"There is an agreement to hold another round of talks to further discuss points of difference."
The Ansar Allah's chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdusalam, called the talks "serious and positive" and said he was "hoping to complete the discussion of outstanding issues at a later time".
Hans Grundberg, the UN special envoy for Yemen, hailed the prisoner release ahead of Eid al Fitr.
"Today, hundreds of Yemeni families get to celebrate Eid with their loved ones because the parties negotiated and reached an agreement," he said in a statement.
"I hope this spirit is reflected in ongoing efforts to advance a comprehensive political solution. Thousands more families are still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones."
During the exchange, Ansar Allah will release 181 prisoners, including Saudis and Sudanese, in return for 706 held by government forces.
"It's a much awaited moment of relief for hundreds of families, many of whom were left wondering for years if they will ever see their loved ones again," Yemeni conflict analyst Hisham al Omeisy said.
"It is also a significant step forward and a confidence-building measure in the hyper-polarised and protracted conflict... But we need to continue these exchanges, there are still a lot more prisoners on both sides."
Among other moves since their Chinese-brokered thaw, delegations from Iran and Saudi Arabia have exchanged visits this week to pave the way for reopening diplomatic missions. — AFP
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