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Yemen prisoner swap talks end without deal

February 23, 2021 00:00:00


AMMAN, Feb 22 (AFP): Talks on a possible prisoner exchange between Yemen's warring parties concluded Sunday with no deal after a month of wrangling, the UN said.

"I am disappointed that this round of talks did not amount to what we saw in Switzerland last September which resulted in the historic release of 1056 detainees," said the world body's Yemen envoy, Martin Griffiths, in a statement.

"I urge the parties to continue their discussions and consultations, conclude the implementation of what they agreed to and expand the arrangements to release more detainees soon."

Yemen's internationally recognised government and Huthi rebels had agreed in 2018 to swap some 15,000 detainees in a rare conciliatory move after years of war that has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.


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