News - Yemen: The head of the National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, Abdulqader Almurtadha, confirmed that the Saudi-backed party remains an obstacle preventing any progress.

In a post on his X account, Almurtadha revealed that "for nearly a year since the Muscat round, we have been sending local mediators to Marib and following up with the UN envoy's office in an attempt to move this humanitarian issue." He added, "But unfortunately, all these efforts have failed due to the intransigence of the Saudi-backed party."

He described the suspension of the prisoner issue in this manner as a vile exploitation of their suffering and an unjustifiable moral failure.

The Yemeni prisoner exchange negotiations have been a key humanitarian and political issue throughout the years of aggression on Yemen. These negotiations, typically mediated by the United Nations, aim to secure the release of thousands of prisoners held by the Saudi-backed coalition forces, including the Islah Party.

The Islah Party, a political faction aligned with the US-Saudi aggression, has been a major player in these negotiations. However, shifting dynamics in the region, particularly the growing influence of the Yemeni Armed Forces and their military operations against Israeli and US interests, have complicated the process. 

The refusal of the Islah Party to participate reflects a strategic miscalculation based on expectations of external military intervention—an expectation that has since proven unrealistic.

Recently, the United States agreed to halt its military aggression against Yemen after facing significant operational challenges, including escalating costs and risks of direct confrontation. This development came as Yemeni forces intensified their operations in solidarity with Gaza, targeting Israeli-linked shipping routes and infrastructure, further straining US and Israeli positions.