Thirty-seven Yemeni fishermen have been released by Eritrea after they were captured in international water in the Red Sea, authorities announced today.

“The Eritrean authorities are still holding others,” Yemen’s Fisheries Wealth Minister Fahd Kafain said on Twitter.

He pointed out that the government discussed “the issue of fishermen abducted from the coasts of Hudaydah and Al-Mukha, and commissioned the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Fisheries to follow up on the issue and work to release the fishermen and their boats and ensure their rights.”

“The government will continue its relentless efforts to retrieve the kidnapped fishermen, secure their rights, protect them and enable them to carry out their work safely in Yemeni waters.”

The General Authority for Fisheries in the Red Sea of ​​the Ministry of Fisheries held a press conference last night, which reviewed the conditions of fishermen in the west coast of the country.

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Deputy Governor of Abdulqawi Al Mekhlafi said Eritrea had released 37 fishermen of the 200 who had been detained by Asmara authorities.

He demanded Eritrea release the more than 110 Yemeni boats it has captured.

“The Yemeni government promised to pay compensation to the affected fishermen, in addition to giving them boats instead of those that were detained.”

The Yemeni government has accused Eritrea of detaining dozens of fishermen as they worked in international waters. Asmara denies the accusations, claiming the fishermen had entered its territorial waters when they were captured.