Yemen/Anadolu

UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg urged both sides to intensify efforts to complete remaining technical and operational arrangements as soon as possible.

This came a day after the government and the Houthi group announced the postponement of the implementation of the agreement and traded accusations over it.

UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg announced on Saturday that he had received "renewed commitments" from the government and the Houthi group to implement the prisoner exchange agreement over the past 48 hours.

This came in a statement by the UN envoy on the American platform "X" (formerly Twitter), a day after the government and the Houthi group announced on Friday the postponement of the implementation of the agreement that was scheduled for Saturday.

Grundberg said that over the past 48 hours he received "renewed assurances from the Yemeni government and Ansar Allah (the Houthis) regarding their commitment to the full implementation of the May 2026 agreement, which concerns the release of more than 1,600 detainees in connection with the conflict."

The UN envoy urged both sides to "intensify their efforts to complete the remaining technical and operational arrangements as soon as possible."

He clarified that "the two sides reiterated their commitment to that," without providing details.

For its part, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in a statement issued by its office in Yemen on Saturday and published on the American platform "X," called for "facilitating the release and transfer of detainees held in connection with the conflict in Yemen."

The statement said: "The ICRC, as a neutral intermediary, remains ready to facilitate the transfer of detainees scheduled for release and their safe return to their homes with respect for their dignity, as stipulated in the agreement signed between the parties in Amman."

It added that the ICRC remains committed to implementing this complex humanitarian operation as soon as possible to allow families to be reunited with their loved ones.

The statement continued: "We encourage the parties to continue ongoing efforts to facilitate the release and transfer of detainees."

On Friday, the Yemeni government and the Houthi group announced the postponement of the implementation of the agreement, which was scheduled for Saturday, and exchanged accusations over who caused the obstruction.

On May 14, the Yemeni government and the Houthi group signed an agreement in the Jordanian capital Amman, stipulating the release of about 1,700 detainees from both sides, after consultations that lasted three months.

The agreement includes the Houthis releasing 7 Saudis and 20 Sudanese from the Arab coalition forces, as this is the largest prisoner exchange deal in Yemen, and it was scheduled to be implemented today, Saturday.