Increase in Yemen's Houthi detainees by the UN: now at 19 staff members
In a series of events that have raised concerns worldwide, the Iranian-backed Houthis have detained at least 19 United Nations employees during raids on UN offices in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. The raids targeted offices of the United Nations' food, health, and children's agencies.
The unfortunate incident followed Israel's killing of Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed Al-Rahawi and several Cabinet ministers in an airstrike on Thursday. The Houthis have been engaged in a civil war with Yemen's internationally recognized government since 2014.
The detained employees include 18 Yemeni staffers and one international employee. It is important to note that the Houthis have previously detained 23 UN employees, with some being held since 2021.
The UN special envoy, Hans Grundberg, recently ended a visit to Oman's capital, Muscat. During his visit, he met with Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam and representatives of the diplomatic community. Grundberg reiterated the UN's strong condemnation of the detentions and forced entry into its offices.
The Houthis' actions seriously endanger the UN's ability to deliver aid to the people of Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country. The UN Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, has been working tirelessly to facilitate peace talks and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Yemeni population.
The UN's concerns are not unfounded. The Houthis' actions have already disrupted the delivery of essential services, including food, health, and education, to millions of Yemenis who are already suffering from the consequences of the ongoing conflict.
The UN calls for the immediate release of the detained employees and for the Houthis to respect the UN's neutrality and the safety of its personnel. The international community must come together to support the UN's efforts to bring peace and stability to Yemen and to alleviate the suffering of its people.
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