TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Yemen's Houthi rebel group has freed presidential chief of staff Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, who was captured and held hostage on January 17, 2015, during the conflict between the group and Yemeni troops.
The capturing of Mubarak is one of the causes of political crisis in Yemen. Houthi spokesperson Ali al-Quhoom, said that Mubarak was released unconditionally to reduce tensions in Yemen and in honor of a delegation of tribal leaders from the Shabaw province in southeastern Yemen where Mubarak comes from.
"Bin Mubarak has just been handed over to Sheikh Awad al-Wazir," Ali told Reuters.
The Houthi rebels had also rejected the draft constitution issued by President Abd-Rabby Mansour Hadi, saying that it intentionally divides the country and obstructing a power sharing agreement signed by the Houthis and the Yemeni government when the group captured Sanaa in September 2014.
REUTERS | WINONA AMANDA