Nine more United Nations personnel have been arbitrarily detained in Yemen by Houthi authorities, increasing the total number of UN staff held since 2021 to 53, according to a statement on Monday by UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the latest detentions, along with the seizure of UN assets and facilities in Houthi-controlled areas.
Details regarding the circumstances of the recent arrests were not disclosed, but the incident follows a series of raids, including an August operation where Houthi militants stormed UN premises in Sanaa and apprehended at least 18 staff members. Houthi officials assert that immunity for UN personnel does not cover alleged espionage activities, and they accused the organization of bias for criticizing these detentions while remaining silent about Israeli military actions in Yemen.
The Secretary-General reiterated his demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained personnel and called on authorities to respect international law and safeguard workers providing critical humanitarian aid in Yemen. The ongoing conflict between the Houthi-led administration in Sanaa and the Saudi-backed government in Aden has persisted for nearly a decade, complicating the crisis further.
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