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.



UAE President Tells Rubio Rejects Displacement of Palestinians

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as they meet at ADNEC Center Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, on February 19, 2025. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as they meet at ADNEC Center Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, on February 19, 2025. (AFP)
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UAE President Tells Rubio Rejects Displacement of Palestinians

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as they meet at ADNEC Center Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, on February 19, 2025. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as they meet at ADNEC Center Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, on February 19, 2025. (AFP)

United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan told visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday that Abu Dhabi rejected any displacement of Palestinians, official media said.

Sheikh Mohammed "affirmed the UAE's firm position rejecting any attempts aimed at displacing the Palestinian people from their land", the Gulf state's WAM news agency said following a US proposal to take over the war-battered Gaza Strip and move its inhabitants.

It added that the president "stressed the need for the reconstruction of Gaza to be linked to a path leading to comprehensive and lasting peace based on the two-state solution".

The Abu Dhabi meeting covered a range of regional and international issues of shared concern, with a focus on developments in the Middle East and the Palestinian Territory and ongoing efforts to address the crisis in Gaza, as well as its implications for regional peace, stability, and security.

Sheikh Mohamed and Rubio also discussed cooperation between their countries, as well as ways to further deepen ties across various fields in pursuit of their joint interests.