The Houthi group has released 153 detainees in a unilateral move, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, at a time when efforts are increasing to ease tensions in Yemen and revive negotiations to end the war that has been ongoing since 2014.

The Red Cross indicated that the detainees were medically examined and provided humanitarian assistance in Sana’a.

While the Houthis expressed their intention to release the detainees as part of confidence-building measures, this release came after the Houthis detained seven Yemeni staff members of the United Nations, which provoked anger from the international organization.