“Today’s release and repatriation of prisoners of war allows families to be reunited and marks an important step in translating the commitments outlined in the Joint Statement into action,” said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric. “Respect for international humanitarian law, which includes the repatriation of prisoners of war at the end of active hostilities, is critical to helping build confidence between parties and supporting the path to lasting peace. I hope this operation helps lay the foundation for a new year rooted in the peace and stability that communities on both sides of the border need and deserve."
The ICRC visited the 18 PoWs on four occasions since their detention in Thailand in July 2025. In line with the provisions of the Geneva Conventions, the visits are intended to allow the ICRC to monitor their well-being and conditions of detention and facilitate the exchange of messages between them and their families. As a neutral, impartial, and independent organization, ICRC’s work in places of detention is guided by a long-standing principle of confidentiality andbilateral dialogue with detaining authorities.
The Third Geneva Convention states that prisoners of war shall be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities. Prisoners of war retain their status and protection under the Third Geneva Convention until their final release and repatriation.
About the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.
For more information, please contact:
ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 34 43, email press@icrc.org
