More than 1,600 conflict-related detainees in Yemen will be released under a UN-brokered agreement reached after 14 weeks of negotiations, marking the largest prisoner exchange arrangement since the country’s civil war began.

Axar.az reports, citing the UN, the deal was announced on Thursday by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg following talks held in Jordan under UN auspices, with mediation also involving the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“This is a moment of profound relief for thousands of Yemenis who have endured long and painful waits for the return of their family members,” Grundberg said.

He added that the negotiations had been “extraordinarily complex,” requiring “persistence, flexibility, and willingness by all sides.”

The agreement, based on the 2018 Stockholm Agreement principle of “all-for-all,” is expected to proceed into an implementation phase overseen jointly with the ICRC, including coordinated releases and continued talks between the parties.

Grundberg also called for progress on the release of UN personnel and others still held in detention, saying he hoped the deal would “help build confidence” toward a broader peace process.