With the support of the UN: a significant agreement was signed between the Houthis and the government of Yemen

The government of Yemen and the Houthis signed a prisoner exchange deal with the support of the United Nations to release almost 3,000 detainees after talks mediated by Oman, in one of the largest deals since the beginning of the war in Yemen in 2014, which raises cautious hopes for a de-escalation. This is according to a publication on the “Clash Report” website.

The agreement also covers 23 Sudanese soldiers, who are expected to return home as part of the exchange. Sudan was among the countries whose forces participated in the Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government earlier in the war, making their inclusion politically significant for regional stakeholders.

Previous prisoner exchanges have been used as confidence-building measures, but none have matched the scope of the current agreement, which covers some 3,000 detainees on multiple fronts and factions. The talks in Muscat emphasize Oman’s continued role as a central mediator acceptable to all parties.

The prisoner exchange comes against the background of a deep humanitarian crisis. According to UN data, around 20 million people across Yemen rely on external aid to meet basic needs, while close to 5 million have been displaced from their homes by the fighting. The war has destroyed infrastructure, disrupted their livelihoods and left public services barely functioning.

U.N. officials and aid agencies see the prisoner exchange as a potential opening for rebuilding trust and moving toward a broader ceasefire framework. While the agreement does not address major political conflicts, it is widely seen as a practical step that could ease human suffering and test the parties’ willingness to translate dialogue into ongoing de-escalation.