Peter Maurer (C), president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), attends a press conference in Aden, Yemen, on July 1, 2021. The ICRC confirmed on Thursday its readiness to facilitate exchanging prisoners between the various parties in Yemen's years-long conflict.Photo:Xinhua

 
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed on Thursday its readiness to facilitate exchanging prisoners between the various parties in Yemen's years-long conflict.

During a press conference held in the country's southern port city of Aden, ICRC President Peter Maurer reaffirmed that his teams operating in Yemen's branches are still working to help those affected by the conflict.

He previously spoke with Yemen's Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik on the urgent humanitarian challenges in the Yemeni regions.

Maurer reiterated the "ICRC's readiness to continue facilitating any future detainee release operations between the parties to the conflict."

On Wednesday, Maurer arrived in Aden, where the internationally recognized Yemeni government is temporarily seated, on a six-day visit to the war-ravaged Arab country, including the capital of Sanaa, which is under the control of the Houthis, to inspect the humanitarian situation there.

In October 2020, the Yemeni government and the Houthis released a total of 1,056 prisoners from both sides, the largest UN-sponsored exchange deal between them since the outbreak of the civil war in Yemen.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa.