Eritrea releases 37 Yemeni fishermen

By Murad al-Arifi

SANAA

Eritrean authorities have freed 37 Yemeni fishermen held while fishing in the Red Sea, the Yemeni government said on Monday.

“Several other fishermen are still being held by Eritrean authorities,” Yemeni Fisheries Minister Fahd Kafayin said on Twitter.

He said the government has tasked the foreign and fisheries ministers with seeking “the release of the fishermen and their boats and guaranteeing their rights”.

Governor of the central province of Taiz, Abdulkawi al-Makhlafi, earlier said 200 Yemeni fishermen were being held by Eritrea.

"The Yemeni government pledged to pay urgent compensations to the affected fishermen and give them boats instead of those seized by Eritrea,” he said.

The Yemeni government accuses Eritrea of detaining dozens of fishermen while fishing in international waters, but Asmara insists that the fishermen had violated the country’s territorial waters.

By Murad al-Arifi

SANAA

Eritrean authorities have freed 37 Yemeni fishermen held while fishing in the Red Sea, the Yemeni government said on Monday.

“Several other fishermen are still being held by Eritrean authorities,” Yemeni Fisheries Minister Fahd Kafayin said on Twitter.

He said the government has tasked the foreign and fisheries ministers with seeking “the release of the fishermen and their boats and guaranteeing their rights”.

Governor of the central province of Taiz, Abdulkawi al-Makhlafi, earlier said 200 Yemeni fishermen were being held by Eritrea.

"The Yemeni government pledged to pay urgent compensations to the affected fishermen and give them boats instead of those seized by Eritrea,” he said.

The Yemeni government accuses Eritrea of detaining dozens of fishermen while fishing in international waters, but Asmara insists that the fishermen had violated the country’s territorial waters.