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Yemen-bound Plane Carrying Houthi Prisoners Leaves Saudi Arabia

An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)-chartered plane carrying freed prisoners arrives at Sanaa Airport, amid a prisoner swap, in Sanaa, Yemen April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)-chartered plane carrying freed prisoners arrives at Sanaa Airport, amid a prisoner swap, in Sanaa, Yemen April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
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Yemen-bound Plane Carrying Houthi Prisoners Leaves Saudi Arabia

An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)-chartered plane carrying freed prisoners arrives at Sanaa Airport, amid a prisoner swap, in Sanaa, Yemen April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)-chartered plane carrying freed prisoners arrives at Sanaa Airport, amid a prisoner swap, in Sanaa, Yemen April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

A flight carrying Houthi prisoners left Saudi Arabia on Saturday bound for Yemen's capital Sanaa, after which another flight will arrive to the Kingdom carrying Saudi prisoners, on the second day of the prisoner exchange operation.

The flight from the southern Saudi city of Abha took off before 9 am (0600 GMT) carrying 120 former detainees, ICRC public affairs and media adviser Jessica Moussan told AFP.

It was the first of three flights planned for Saturday between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

The Yemeni government and Houthi group completed the first phase of a prisoner swap deal on Friday. The deal was agreed upon last month in Switzerland and resulted in the release of 318 prisoners from both sides.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the exchange, which took place over four trips between the airports in Sana'a and Aden.

The move was met with local, Gulf, and UN approval, as well as calls for the unconditional release of all detainees related to the conflict.

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Gulf

Saudi Arabia Welcomes Ceasefire in Lebanon

A resident walks amid the destruction in the southern Lebanese village of Zibqin on November 27, 2024, as people who had fled the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned to check on their homes after a ceasefire between the warring sides took effect. (AFP)
A resident walks amid the destruction in the southern Lebanese village of Zibqin on November 27, 2024, as people who had fled the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned to check on their homes after a ceasefire between the warring sides took effect. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes Ceasefire in Lebanon

A resident walks amid the destruction in the southern Lebanese village of Zibqin on November 27, 2024, as people who had fled the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned to check on their homes after a ceasefire between the warring sides took effect. (AFP)
A resident walks amid the destruction in the southern Lebanese village of Zibqin on November 27, 2024, as people who had fled the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned to check on their homes after a ceasefire between the warring sides took effect. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Wednesday the ceasefire in Lebanon, hailing the international efforts that helped achieve it.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry hoped the ceasefire would lead to the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, security and stability, and ensure the safe return of the displaced to their homes.

The Muslim World League (MWL) welcomed the ceasefire, commending all efforts that contributed to ending the conflict and expressed its hope for continued security and stability for Lebanon and its people under its national sovereignty.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation stressed the need for all parties to commit to the ceasefire agreement through the full implementation of Resolution 1701.

OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha underscored his full support for Lebanon’s stability and the right of its state to exercise its sovereignty across all Lebanese territories.

He called for humanitarian aid to meet the needs of those affected and for reconstructing what was destroyed in the war.

Moreover, he hoped that the ceasefire in Lebanon would pave the way for an immediate halt to the Israeli assault on Gaza and all occupied Palestinian territories.