Yemeni Presidential Council Member Al-Aradah Discusses Prisoner Exchange Arrangements with the International Committee of the Red Cross
Yemen Monitor | Newsroom:
Member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and Governor of Marib, Major General Sultan Al-Aradah, met on Monday with a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) headed by its Yemen delegation chief, Christine Chipula, to discuss humanitarian conditions and strengthen joint coordination.
The meeting comes just days before the start of logistical and field preparations for the prisoner and detainee exchange agreement scheduled for July 2026, in which the ICRC serves as the principal intermediary and facilitator.
The discussions, attended by Amira Kadiir, focused on existing cooperation between local authorities and the ICRC, as well as mechanisms to enhance humanitarian interventions in priority sectors in Marib Governorate, which continues to face growing challenges due to the influx of internally displaced persons and the resulting pressure on public services and infrastructure.
During the meeting, Al-Aradah praised the ICRC’s humanitarian role in supporting efforts related to prisoners and detainees, stressing the importance of strengthening coordination to achieve the goal of emptying prisons under the principle of “all for all”—a comprehensive exchange of all detainees held by both sides.
For her part, Christine Chipula reaffirmed the ICRC’s commitment to continuing its humanitarian work in Yemen and strengthening partnerships with relevant stakeholders to ensure an effective response to urgent humanitarian needs and alleviate civilian suffering.
The exchange agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthis is scheduled to be implemented next month. It also includes Saudi and Sudanese soldiers and covers approximately 1,700 prisoners and detainees from both sides.
The first phase of implementation will begin with the work of the four-party committee responsible for the case of Mohammed Qahtan. At the same time, the ICRC will visit individuals included in the agreement in Aden, the western coast region, Marib Governorate, and Sanaa to verify the agreed-upon names.
Earlier, Hadi Haij, head of the government negotiating team, stated that any obstruction of the committee handling Qahtan’s case could jeopardize the exchange deal. He added that the team’s representative, Hassan Al-Qubaisi, is ready to participate in the committee’s work.
