Oman secures release of 14 foreigners held in Yemen

Houthi safety patrol the neighborhood of Sanaa airport in Sanaa, Yemen April 24, 2022. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

April 24 (Reuters) – Oman facilitated the discharge of 14 foreigners, together with a British nationwide, who had been held in Yemen and transferred them from the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital Sanaa to Muscat on Sunday, Oman’s overseas ministry mentioned.

The folks freed included a British man, his spouse and youngster, seven Indian nationals, a Filipino, an Indonesian, an Ethiopian and a Myanmar nationwide, the ministry added, with out giving particulars of what had led to their detention.

The British authorities recognized the Briton as Luke Symons, saying he had been held with out cost or trial since 2017.

“Luke was 25 when he was unlawfully detained by the Houthis. His son was only some months previous on the time,” Overseas Secretary Liz Truss mentioned in a press release.

“He was allegedly mistreated, in solitary confinement, and refused visits by his household,” Truss mentioned.

Amnesty Worldwide mentioned in February that Symons traveled to Yemen in 2012 the place he met and married his Yemeni spouse. It mentioned he had been accused by the Houthis, de facto authorities in North Yemen, of spying for the British authorities although he was not formally charged with any crime.

The Omani ministry mentioned that after speaking with Saudi Arabia to facilitate issuance of the required permits, all 14 had been transferred on an Oman Royal Air Drive aircraft to the Omani capital, in preparation for his or her return to their nations.

A Saudi-led coalition, which intervened within the Yemen conflict in March 2015 in opposition to the Iran-aligned Houthis, controls Yemen’s sea and air area. Oman just isn’t a member of the coalition.

Earlier this month, the warring sides in Yemen’s seven-year battle agreed to a nationwide truce for the primary time in years, beneath a U.N.-brokered deal.

(This story removes remark incorrectly attributed to Houthi chief negotiator)

Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Modifying by Mark Heinrich, Frank Jack Daniel and Frances Kerry

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