Houthis release 159 detainees under amnesty, ICRC says
The Red Cross says Houthi authorities freed 159 people held over the fighting in Yemen. A Houthi official said 323 prisoners have now been released under the amnesty, according to Middle East Eye.
YEMEN — Houthi authorities have released 159 people detained in connection with the fighting in Yemen, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said, according to a Middle East Eye report published on 18 October 2026.
Middle East Eye reported that the ICRC made the announcement in a statement. The organisation said its delegates held pre-departure interviews with each detainee before the release. They also told the detainees' families that the release was about to take place, according to the report.
The ICRC also offered help to support what it called a "dignified" return home for those freed, Middle East Eye said. The report does not describe what form that assistance took.
Houthi account of the amnesty
Middle East Eye said Houthi official Abdelqader al-Murtada told reporters that the detainees were freed under an amnesty. He added that a total of 323 prisoners have been released under the amnesty, according to the outlet.
The report does not say whether the 159 people are included in the 323 figure or were released in addition to them. It also does not say over what period the earlier releases took place.
What is not known
Middle East Eye's report, as provided, is brief and rests on two accounts: the ICRC statement and al-Murtada's remarks to reporters. It does not include independent confirmation of the numbers from other organisations or authorities.
The report does not state where the detainees were held, where they were freed or how they were transported. It does not give their nationalities, their ages or the charges, if any, on which they were detained. It does not say whether any of those released were fighters, civilians or members of other groups.
The report also does not say whether the amnesty is linked to any negotiations or agreement with other parties to the conflict. It does not carry any reaction from the Yemeni government, other armed groups or international bodies besides the ICRC.
Background
The ICRC statement, as relayed by Middle East Eye, describes the detainees as people held in connection with the "ongoing fighting" in Yemen. The report gives no further detail on the conflict or on the history of detentions and releases.
The ICRC's role in this case, according to the report, was to interview the detainees before departure, notify their families and offer help with their return. The source does not say whether the ICRC took part in negotiating the releases or in transporting the detainees.
Zenga News has not independently verified the figures or statements in the Middle East Eye report. Further details from the ICRC or the Houthi authorities would be needed to clarify how the 159 and 323 figures relate to each other and how the amnesty is being carried out.
How the story developed
- October 18, 2026Yemeni government forces say they carried out 1,417 strikes on Houthis in 24 hours
- October 18, 2026KSrelief and WHO agree $1.55 million project for malnourished children in Yemen
- October 18, 2026Eight Yemeni soldiers killed in Lahj fighting with Houthis, army says
- October 18, 2026Houthis release 159 detainees under amnesty, ICRC says
Sources
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