Yemen gov't hands over 26 bodies to Houthis as gesture of 'goodwill'

6/12/2025 7:43

Yemen's government said it handed over 26 bodies of the Houthi group on Friday as a gesture of "goodwill" ahead of the expected resumption of talks sponsored by the United Nations.



In the statement broadcast by state-run television, the government said the bodies were handed over to a local mediator, under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross.



It said the bodies belong to Houthi members who had been killed recently in sporadic battles in the northeastern provinces of Marib and al-Jawf, east and northeast of the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.



The state-run Saba news agency reported that the remains were transferred after the Houthi side verified their identities through the mediator.



Yahya Kazman, head of the government's negotiation committee, said the unilateral step is intended to demonstrate goodwill in advancing the resolution of the issue of detainees, abductees, and those forcibly disappeared.



He noted that the move comes ahead of a new round of negotiations on the detainee issue, scheduled to be held in the coming days under the auspices of international partners.



The Houthis have yet to comment.