At least 19 UN staff have been detained by the Houthis during the actions of the Iran-backed Yemeni group against the offices of the world organization in the capital Sanaa, the Associated Press reported, citing the UN, BTA reported.
The organization's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that 18 of the detained staff were Yemeni citizens and one was a foreigner. He called for all to be released immediately.
The attacks on the offices of the UN food, health and children's agencies in Sanaa on Sunday followed the killing by Israel of the Houthi government's prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, and several cabinet ministers in an airstrike on Thursday.
The Houthis have been at war with Yemen's internationally recognized government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, since 2014, when they took control of Sanaa and most of northern Yemen.
Hope for peace talks faded after the attack carried out by „Hamas“ in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which led to a retaliatory military operation by Israel in „Hamas“ Gaza. The Houthis have begun attacking ships in the Red Sea in support of Palestinians in Gaza. This prompted US and Israeli strikes in rebel-held areas of Yemen.
UN special envoy Hans Grundberht wrapped up a visit to the Omani capital, Muscat, where he met with the Houthi chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdelsalam, a UN spokesman said. Dujarric added that the envoy reiterated the UN's strong condemnation of the detentions and the forced entry into its offices, warning that the Houthis' actions seriously threaten the UN's ability to deliver aid to the people of Yemen.