Houthis detained group of UN employees in Yemen
UN employees detained in Yemen (photo: Getty Images)
In northern Yemen, Houthi militants detained seven UN staff members. All movements of personnel have been halted in areas controlled by the terrorists, and the organization's leadership is demanding their release, reports Reuters.
The United Nations stated that the arrests took place near the capital, Sanaa. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned this move by the militants and demanded the immediate release of those detained.
All official movements of UN personnel to areas controlled by the Houthis or within those areas have been suspended to ensure the safety of the staff.
"The United Nations will continue to work through all possible channels to secure the safe and immediate release of those arbitrarily detained," Guterres said in a statement.
He also added that the continued targeting of UN personnel and its partners negatively impacts our ability to assist millions of people in need in Yemen.
The agency was unable to reach official Houthi representatives for comment.
Attacks by Yemeni Houthis
The Houthi group in Yemen is an ally of Iran. Since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the militants have been attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in support of the Islamic movement Hamas.
The UK and the US have deployed their fleets and regularly attack terrorist positions in Yemen.
In June 2024, the UN also reported that militants had detained 11 of its personnel.
For the past three years, the Houthis have held around 20 Yemeni employees of the US embassy in Sanaa. The diplomatic mission ceased its operations in the country ten years ago.
Recently, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order recognizing the Yemeni Houthis as a terrorist organization.
