Talks in Geneva between Yemen's Warring Parties‏‏

Negotiations between Yemen's warring sides to arrange a prisoner swap will begin on Saturday in Geneva، according to rebels and government representatives.

According to Majed Fadail، a member of the Yemeni government delegation، the negotiations in Switzerland، which are being supervised by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross، will last 11 days.

He stated to the official Saba news agency on Thursday that the goal of the negotiations with the Huthi rebels supported by Iran is "to reach an arrangement over the parameters" of a prisoner exchange.

It happens over a year after the Huthis claimed to have reached an arrangement including a swap of prisoners in which 1،400 rebels would be set free in exchange for 823 fighters for the government، including 16 Saudis and three citizens of Sudan.

Since then، the opposing sides have engaged in a number of unsuccessful negotiations in the Jordanian capital Amman.

The top Huthi representative at the Geneva talks expressed his optimism for practical outcomes in a tweet on Thursday.

Abdul Qader al-Murtada expressed his expectation that this round would be decisive on Thursday.

The Huthi rebels took control of the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014، prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene on behalf of the Yemeni government the following year.

Since then، a grinding war has killed hundreds of thousands and pushed the impoverished nation to the brink of famine.

Fighting has largely been on hold since a UN-brokered ceasefire took effect in April last year، even after the agreement expired in October.