UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the 'immediate and unconditional release' of 11 UN staff arrested by Houthi authorities in Yemen.
The workers were detained by security forces in raids on the World Food Programme (WFP), children's charity Unicef, and the World Health Organization (WHO), as confirmed by news agencies and the UN.
Sunday's raids took place in the capital, Sanaa, and the port city of Hudaydah, according to UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg.
Grundberg noted that the Houthis had already been holding 23 other UN workers arrested since 2021. However, the Houthi authorities have not yet commented on the recent arrests.
In a statement on Sunday, Guterres condemned the arbitrary detentions of these personnel and condemned the forced entry into WFP and other UN premises, along with the seizure of property.
It remains unclear why the Houthis targeted UN workers, especially given their critical role in providing assistance to ordinary Yemenis amidst one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Recalling previous incidents, Grundberg highlighted that one of the previously arrested individuals had died in detention earlier this year.
The Houthis have also held some 20 Yemeni employees of the US embassy for the past three years. Despite ongoing engagement over the last year, the arbitrary detention of UN staff, NGO workers, and civil society members continues, severely hindering assistance and efforts to advance peace in Yemen.
The latest wave of arrests occurs amid increased tensions following an Israeli attack that killed the Houthi prime minister and other high-ranking officials.
This attack marked a significant escalation in conflict, with the Houthis responding to Israeli military actions by launching missiles in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict continues.
Since taking control of Yemen's capital and northwest territories in 2014, the Iran-backed Houthis have been embroiled in a civil war that has resulted in over 150,000 deaths, with 4.8 million people displaced and half of the population in need of urgent assistance.
