The United Nations has shifted the office of its resident coordinator for Yemen to Aden, just over a week after Houthi forces detained at least 18 UN staff members in Sanaa. Despite the relocation, the UN confirmed that the resident coordinator will continue working across the country, including regular travel to Sanaa.
In a statement, the Aden-based Yemeni government welcomed the UN’s move and urged other international programs to follow suit. It strongly condemned the Houthis’ arbitrary detention of humanitarian workers, calling for their “immediate and unconditional release.”
The detentions took place after Houthi forces raided UN offices in Sanaa on August 31, days after an Israeli strike killed the prime minister of the Houthi-run government and several ministers. Houthi officials have argued that UN staff should not use diplomatic immunity to shield what they claimed were espionage activities.
The UN has accused the Houthis of years of systematic violations, noting that 23 staff members were already being held before this latest incident. The World Food Programme also condemned the detentions, warning that such actions seriously undermine the delivery of aid to Yemen’s most vulnerable communities.
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