“This operation has brought much-needed relief and joy to families who have been anxiously waiting for the return of their loved ones. We know that many other families are also waiting for their chance to be reunited. We hope that today’s release will lead to many more moments like this” said Christine Cipolla, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Yemen.
In line with its standard working procedures, the ICRC conducted private pre-departure interviews with the detainees to confirm their identity, inform their families of their imminent release and to offer assistance in support of a dignified return to their homes. Prior to the release, ICRC medical staff assessed the health condition of the detainees, determined their fitness for road travel and provided individual travel arrangements for those who required additional support.
“As with every release operation that the ICRC is part of in Yemen, we hold confidential conversations with all detainees to listen to any concerns they may have about the process, to ensure they have been in contact with their families, and to gather the necessary information to follow up on their condition if needed in the coming weeks,” said Alessia Bertelli, the head of the ICRC’s protection department in Yemen.
The ICRC welcomes this unilateral release as another positive step towards reviving negotiations under the Stockholm Agreement. We remain ready to play our role as a neutral intermediary in facilitating the release, transfer, and repatriation of any persons held in relation to the conflict in Yemen, as we did in 2020 and 2023, whenever the parties to the Stockholm Agreement decide to engage in such efforts again.
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