ANKARA

A meeting between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels on swapping prisoners and detainees have started in Geneva, the UN's envoy to Yemen announced on Friday.

"My message to the Parties is: conclude discussions, release detainees swiftly, bring relief to thousands of Yemeni families," Martin Griffiths said on Twitter.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Tens of thousands of Yemenis, including civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis as millions remain at risk of starvation. 

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz