Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Release Kidnapped Chief of Country’s Intelligence

Head of Yemeni Intelligence General Yahya Marrani, who was kidnapped earlier by 20 Houthi militants, has been released.

SANAA, December 25 (Sputnik) — The Shiite Houthi movement has released General Yahya Marrani, the kidnapped head of the Yemeni Intelligence, a source in the country's security services told Sputnik Thursday.

Earlier in the day, 20 Houthi militants besieged the house of the general and kidnapped him.

Following the kidnapping, the Yemeni authorities started negotiating the release of General Marrani through high-ranking Houthi officials. The physical state of Marrani is unknown yet.

Yemen’s Houthis started staging mass protests in August, following the government’s decision to slash fuel subsidies. The rebels have peacefully taken over a number of major Yemeni cities, forcing the country’s government to resign on September 21.

Through the United Nation's mediation, Yemeni President  and the rebels came to a crisis settlement agreement, in accordance with which a new inclusive government would have been formed by October 21. On November 9, the president swore in A new government headed by Khaled Bahah, which included a cabinet that was strongly opposed by the Houthis, who still control swathes of land in northern Yemen.