Stagnation and Obstinance: The Aggression Coalition’s Delays in Yemen’s Prisoners’ File

The Chairman of the National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, Abdul Qadir Al-Murtada, has confirmed that the aggression coalition and its mercenaries continue to be obstinate and procrastinate in the prisoners’ file. He stated that the agreement signed in Switzerland is in a state of stagnation due to this obstinacy, indicating that Sana’a is ready to enter into a comprehensive deal that includes prisoners from all parties.

In an interview with “Al-Masirah” on Tuesday, Al-Murtada said that the prisoner exchange deal signed in Switzerland is in a state of stagnation due to the lack of seriousness of the aggression coalition. It was scheduled to hold another round of negotiations in Switzerland in mid-May to implement an exchange deal involving 1400 prisoners from both sides. However, it was postponed due to the obstinacy of the aggression mercenaries in Marib and their refusal to implement reciprocal prison visits, which were agreed upon in a previous round under the supervision of the United Nations.

In mid-June, a round of negotiations was held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, to find solutions to the obstacles that hindered this deal. However, it ended without reaching any agreement.

Al-Murtada clarified in his interview with “Al-Masirah” that “the aggression coalition is not serious about the prisoners’ file until now,” indicating that this lack of seriousness is reflected in “the obstinacy and procrastination of mercenary factions and the weakness of the UN role.”

The prisoners’ file is one of the priority humanitarian files that Sana’a and the national leadership focus on addressing urgently as a basic and necessary step towards any real peace steps. However, the aggression coalition insists on subjecting this file to special political considerations and using it as a card to buy time.

Al-Murtada reiterated that Sana’a had agreed to the request of the aggression mercenaries in Marib to reveal the fate of “Mohammed Qahtan” and include him in the 1400-prisoner deal. However, they refused, in return, to reveal the fate of prisoners from the national side. They also refused to implement reciprocal prison visits.

Sana’a had previously announced that it had handed over a list of names of prisoners held by mercenaries to reveal their fate in exchange for revealing Mohammed Qahtan’s fate. However, they refused, clearly revealing that they want to use “Qahtan” as a propaganda hanger for bidding and misleading public opinion only.

Al-Murtada confirmed that Sana’a still has “Saudi and Sudanese prisoners,” and that the national side is “ready to enter into a comprehensive deal that includes prisoners from all parties.”

He added that “it is not possible to enter with the Saudi side into a bilateral deal because it is primarily responsible for the other side.”

The Saudi regime had tried during past periods to circumvent this humanitarian file’s requirements by focusing only on releasing its prisoners. This was rejected by Sana’a.

The head of the Prisoners’ Affairs Committee explained that “the file of aggression mercenaries’ prisoners in Kataf was proposed by us and rejected by the other side.”

The treacherous government and aggression countries blatantly ignore their mercenaries’ prisoners held by the national side. They refuse to move to get them out within exchange deals. They even refuse to implement agreements supervised by the United Nations to end their suffering.

An additional indicator of rejecting peace:

The obstinacy of aggression countries and their mercenaries in the prisoners’ file represents an additional negative indicator on their lack of seriousness towards real solutions and progress towards actual peace. The prisoner’s file is considered fundamental and necessary in this context. It is impossible to reach any comprehensive solution before ending all aspects of Yemeni people’s humanitarian suffering, primarily releasing all prisoners.

This indicator adds to other escalating negative indicators in other humanitarian aspects. The aggression coalition recently forced Yemen Airways to stop limited weekly flights agreed upon between Sana’a and Jordan. This step clearly expressed a strong determination to continue the siege and use legitimate humanitarian entitlements as blackmail cards.

In addition to this, Saudi enemy continues daily targeting civilians in border areas in Saada governorate, causing martyrs and wounded among them women and children. At a time when it tries to mobilize regional and international positions to justify these crimes.

These fixed indicators express no change in aggression countries’ position and their sponsors regarding actual peace requirements. They confirm no real desire for them towards comprehensive and permanent solutions. This means their focus remains on buying time, arranging ranks, trying to impose an alternative reality where Yemeni people’s suffering continues.