ALWAGHT- A new Yemen prisoner exchange agreement, mediated by Oman, will see nearly 3,000 detainees released.
An agreement has been reached for the exchange of nearly 3,000 detainees held during the Yemen war, including Yemeni, Saudi, and Sudanese prisoners. The deal follows the tenth round of Supervisory Committee talks held in Oman, which lasted 12 days and resulted in consensus on a new phase of prisoner releases. The agreement was signed in Muscat under Omani mediation, marking a significant humanitarian step amid years of conflict and stalled political processes.
Oman welcomed the deal, praising the constructive atmosphere during the negotiations and commending the cooperation of Saudi Arabia, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, and the ICRC. Officials highlighted the agreement as a key humanitarian milestone that could pave the way for addressing other outstanding issues related to the conflict.
The exchange will see 1,700 Yemeni prisoners released in return for 1,200 detainees held by other parties, including seven Saudis and 23 Sudanese. Mohammed Abdulsalam and Brigadier General Abdulqader al-Murtada emphasized Oman’s central role in facilitating the talks and noted that the deal reflects progress toward Ansarullah’s earlier call for a comprehensive “all-for-all” prisoner exchange.
The December 2025 exchange is the largest since October 2020 and surpasses the April 2023 swap of 887 detainees. It demonstrates a gradual move toward de-escalation, using humanitarian initiatives to stabilize relations between the parties. Oman’s neutral role as a mediator highlights the regional dimension of peace efforts, even as major political and economic issues remain unresolved.
