After Five Years in US-Saudi Mercenaries’ Prisons, Kidnapped Samira Marsh Is Free

The abducted Samira Marsh, who was arrested by the BrotherHood Party militia about five years ago from her home in the Al-Matoun District, Al-Jawf Governorate, arrived at Sana’a airport on Sunday.

On the third and last day, as part of the Ramadan deal for the exchange of prisoners with the Saudi aggression and its mercenaries, 105 prisoners and abductees who were in the prisons of the militias arrived. She was received by hundreds of women who awaited her at Sana’a airport.

The head of the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs, Abdulqadir Al-Murtadha, stated that the release of the abducted Samira Marsh, despite not participating in any military actions and was not charged, was in exchange for 4 members of a criminal cell affiliated with Saudi Arabia who had been sentenced to death.

Al-Murtadha indicated that after the kidnapping of Samira Marsh from her home, the mercenaries did not respond despite all the correspondence to release her, describing the crime of kidnapping her as shame for the this Party, which is rejected by tribal norms and local and international laws.

The case of Samira Marsh had turned into a public opinion case over the past years due to the heinousness of the crime committed by the Islah militia by kidnapping her from her home and among her children in the Al-Matoon district of Al-Jawf Governorate, which is considered a black defect in the traditions of Yemeni society.

Earlier on the day, Human Rights Minister stated on the kidnapping of Samira Marsh, who was freed Sunday as part of a prisoner exchange deal in exchange for 4 members of a criminal cell affiliated with Saudi Arabia who had been sentenced to death, Al-Dailami confirmed that the Islah party militias took advantage of the kidnapping of Samira Marsh in prevarication, pointing out that there are major violations by the mercenaries and the international community turns a blind eye to it.

Al-Dailami indicated that there is cooperation between the ministry and the National Committee for Prisoners, and the role of the ministry is to assist the prisoners’ committee, indicating that there are a number of issues that need to be discussed in an accurate manner, such as kidnapping complaints.

On Saturday, The head of National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, Abdulqadir Al-Murtadha, confirmed that the prisoners’ issue with Saudi Arabia is still valid.

He explained that we still have Saudi and Sudanese prisoners, and there are still prisoners from the army and the popular committees in Saudi prisons who were captured on the fronts or sold to Saudi Arabia.

“The prisoner issue with Saudi Arabia is still valid, indicating that the UN is in the process of determining the location of a next round of negotiations on the prisoner issue in mid-May,” he said.

Sana’a, received in an official and popular ceremony at Sana’a International Airport, 350 of its freed prisoners, most of whom were in Saudi prisons.

Five planes arrived from Saudi Arabia and the occupied Mokha, carrying 350 prisoners of Yemen’s armed forces, including 250 prisoners who were in Saudi prisons, and in return, Sana’a released Saudi prisoners and Sudanese mercenaries.

On March 20, Al-Murtadha announced that an agreement had been reached to swap 706 of Yemeni prisoners in prisons of the US-Saudi aggression, in exchange for 181 prisoners of the aggression, including Saudis and Sudanese.

The implementation of the deal was scheduled to start on the 19th of Ramadan, and it was delayed until the 23rd of Ramadan, due to the claim of the Saudi-backed parties in Marib that it was not ready.

Earlier, Al-Murtadha confirmed that the ICRC had informed the committee of postponing the implementation of the exchange deal due to the lack of readiness of the Saudi-backed parties in Marib.

He explained in a tweet that “what is happening is a clear obstruction of the agreement and a renunciation of commitment, calling on the United Nations to pressure the parties to the aggression to stop these irresponsible and inhumane practices.”