RIYADH — Pro-government forces and Houthi rebels exchanged 194 prisoners in Taiz in central Yemen on Saturday, the largest such swap to take place in the embattled city since last year, tribal chief Abdullatif Al-Muradi said.
The exchange of 118 Houthis and 76 pro-government fighters, will raise hopes that a ceasefire declared in April may be taking hold in Yemen’s third largest city. Loyalist officials in the besieged city confirmed the exchange and said it was a local initiative unconnected to UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait.
Earlier this month, the rebels released 187 prisoners while Saudi Arabia freed 52 children it was holding.
The peace talks have also had little impact on the fighting for Taiz despite a UN-brokered ceasefire that took effect on April 11.
Just hours before the prisoner exchange, the Houthi rebels rained rocket fire on several parts of the city, residents said.
There was also heavy fighting for the town of Kirsh on the main highway to Taiz from the southern port city of Aden.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said on Thursday the Kingdom now sought to prioritize fighting Daesh and other militants in Yemen.
