UN Envoy to Yemen Urges Exchange of Detainee Lists

The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg (Reuters)
The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg (Reuters)
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UN Envoy to Yemen Urges Exchange of Detainee Lists

The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg (Reuters)
The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg (Reuters)

The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, called on Wednesday to expedite the exchange of the lists of prisoners and detainees to ensure their release under the agreement of last March.

According to a statement issued by Grundberg's Office, the government and the Houthi militias agreed to establish a joint team to verify the identity of the detainees and prisoners on each party's list.

"A proposal was put forward to form a committee that brings together both parties under a joint framework to support the process of verifying the identities of the names of detainees included in their respective lists, provided that agreement is reached on details following consultation with relevant authorities," read the statement.

It said that the parties agreed to intensify efforts to finalize and consolidate lists of detainees from all sides as soon as possible.

They also agreed to facilitate visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to detention centers to assist with verifying the identities.

The parties also agreed to establish a joint committee to support verifying detainees' identities in the lists.

A previous statement issued by the Office stated that the Supervisory Committee on the Implementation of the Detainees Release and Exchange Agreement concluded its sixth meeting in Amman following six days of discussions to identify the names of detainees who will be released based on the numbers agreed upon by the parties in March.

Grundberg asserted that he would intensify his "engagements with the parties to ensure the full implementation of all the parties' obligations in the truce."

The statement expressed Grundberg's regret that an agreement to release detainees and prisoners has not yet been completed, which leads to more suffering.

He hoped the lists would be finalized as soon as possible, with priority given to the unconditional release of sick, wounded, children, arbitrarily detained, political detainees, and journalists.



Lebanese Army Denies Reports Claiming Militant Infiltration and Troop Withdrawal in Bekaa

Lebanese army units deploy on the Lebanese -Syrian border (File/Reuters) 
Lebanese army units deploy on the Lebanese -Syrian border (File/Reuters) 
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Lebanese Army Denies Reports Claiming Militant Infiltration and Troop Withdrawal in Bekaa

Lebanese army units deploy on the Lebanese -Syrian border (File/Reuters) 
Lebanese army units deploy on the Lebanese -Syrian border (File/Reuters) 

The Lebanese Army on Sunday denied reports alleging the infiltration of armed groups into Lebanon and the army's withdrawal from border areas in the Bekaa region.

In an official statement posted on its X page, the army said, “Further to previous statements, the Army Command denies what is being circulated on a number of social media sites regarding the entry of armed persons into Lebanon and the withdrawal of the army from border areas in the Bekaa.”

The statement affirmed that “the relevant military units continue to carry out their regular missions to control the Lebanese-Syrian border, in addition to monitoring the security situation internally to maintain stability and prevent any threat to civil peace.”

The Army Command then called for maintaining accuracy in reporting news related to the military institution and the security situation, and refraining from spreading rumors that could lead to tension among citizens.