Yemen’s Warring Sides, Houthi Rebels and Saudi Arabia, Exchange 64 Bodies of Their Fallen Troops

06/22/2023

Yemen’s warring sides have exchanged 64 bodies of their fallen, local media and tribal leaders said. The handover between the country’s Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia marked the latest in reconciliation efforts amid Yemen’s yearslong conflict.  

The rare exchange took place on Wednesday near the Saudi border town of Nahran, according to the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV and three tribal leaders. All three tribesmen spoke on condition of anonymity fearing reprisals. 

The TV reported that remains of 58 rebels were handed over by Riyadh, while the Iran-backed Shiite rebels handed over the bodies of six Saudi soldiers. There was no immediate comment from the kingdom on the exchange. 

Yemen’s civil war erupted in 2014 when the Houthis swept down from their northern stronghold and removed the internationally recognized government from the capital of Sanaa, forcing it first to the south, then into exile in Saudi Arabia. 

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