SANAA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths on Monday welcomed the Houthis' unilateral release of 290 detainees.
"I hope this step will lead to further initiatives that will facilitate the exchange of all the conflict-related detainees as per the Stockholm Agreement," Griffiths said in a statement.
"I also welcome the previous steps taken by the government of Yemen and the Arab Coalition that led to the release of Yemeni minors and supported their reintegration with their families," Griffiths added.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed the release of 290 prisoners earlier the day in the Houthi-held Yemen's capital Sanaa.
The Houthis called on the other side, the Yemeni government and the Saudi-led coalition, to do the same step.
Griffiths, in his statement, called on all parties to meet in the "nearest opportunity" and to resume the discussions on future exchange as per their commitments to the Stockholm agreement.
The Houthis and the Yemeni government agreed to exchange around 7,000 war prisoners in December 2018 as per the UN-sponsored Stockholm deal but they have since failed to implement it.
Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition against Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen for more than four years in support of the exiled internationally-recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
