Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Friday transferred the remains of 26 Houthi fighters as a unilateral humanitarian gesture, signaling renewed momentum toward prisoner negotiations expected to resume shortly.
The remains, verified by Houthi representatives, were delivered through a local mediator in the presence of International Committee of the Red Cross staff, according to a government statement aired on state television.
Those killed had fallen in recent clashes across the northeastern provinces of Marib and al-Jawf, near the front lines separating government- and Houthi-controlled territories. The Saba news agency confirmed the handover was conducted after the Houthis confirmed the identities of the deceased through intermediaries.
A Yemeni government official said the handover was intended to show goodwill and help push forward efforts to resolve outstanding cases involving detainees, abductees, and those who have gone missing, framing the step as part of a wider approach to advance upcoming negotiations.
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Talks aimed at resolving the long-standing detainee issue are expected in the coming days with the backing of international mediators. The government reiterated its willingness to continue similar initiatives as confidence-building measures intended to ease humanitarian pressures and improve the environment for meaningful dialogue.
The Houthis have not issued a public response to the handover.
News of the development follows comments last week by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg, who said he attended a mediation session in Muscat hosted by Oman. His statement suggested that formal peace discussions could soon resume between the warring factions.
In 2023, nearly 900 detainees were released in a large-scale swap brokered by the United Nations. A similar exchange in 2020 involved roughly 1,000 prisoners freed by both sides.
The conflict in Yemen began in 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthis seized Sanaa and forced the government into exile. While front-line hostilities have decreased since a UN-brokered truce in 2022, a political solution has yet to materialize.