Houthi fighters arrested at least 11 United Nations (UN) staff members in Yemen’s capital on Sunday, prompting angry condemnation from Secretary-General António Guterres, according to a UN statement. The armed group raided World Food Programme offices in Sana’a and grabbed UN equipment. They also tried to break into other UN buildings around the city. This brings the total number of detained international aid workers to dozens, with some held for over a year.
The Houthis have been at war with Yemen’s government for more than 10 years. Saudi Arabia backs the government side with airstrikes and weapons. Since October 2023, the Houthis started attacking Israeli targets and ships in the Red Sea too, saying they’re backing Palestinians in Gaza. They now control much of northern Yemen, including Sana’a.
Guterres wants all detained UN workers released “immediately and unconditionally,” along with NGO staff and diplomats grabbed since 2021. “The personnel of the UN and its partners must never be targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their duties,” he said. The UN chief stressed that his staff and buildings should stay safe at all times. Aid groups say the arrests make it almost impossible to help Yemenis who badly need food and medical care.
Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, also worried about recent Israeli bombing of Houthi areas. The strikes killed civilians and senior Houthi leaders. He said Yemen can’t become another front in a bigger Middle East war and called on everyone to talk instead of fight.
The UN says it won’t stop trying to free its workers while still helping ordinary Yemenis caught in the middle of this mess.
