The Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government have exchanged the remains of dozens of fighters who died in clashes more than a year ago, a government official told AFP on Tuesday.
The remains were exchanged, in a precedent in terms of number since the beginning of the war in this country more than eight years ago, on Monday in Al-Jawf Governorate, with the mediation of the local authorities.
The official, who requested anonymity, said that “43 bodies were exchanged, including 21 of members of the government army who were killed south of Marib more than a year ago.”
He added that they were buried in Marib on Tuesday.
The fronts of Marib governorate, the oil-rich region, are the scene of the bloodiest battles between the Houthis and the government forces that extend their control over the city of Marib, the center of the governorate.
The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of people, either directly or indirectly, while 4.5 million people have been internally displaced, and more than two-thirds of Yemen’s population lives below the poverty line, according to United Nations estimates.
Upon its expiration, a six-month truce negotiated by the United Nations in April 2022 was not renewed, but the situation remained calm on the ground, while diplomatic efforts to end the conflict intensified.
In April, a Saudi delegation visited Sana’a for talks aimed at extending the truce and working towards a more permanent ceasefire.
A major prisoner exchange took place between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces, including about 900 prisoners, in April, as part of an agreement reached between the two warring parties in Switzerland.
