Guterres Slams Houthi Detention of UN Staff in Yemen

A father holds his child amid the rubble of a destroyed house in Taiz city, Yemen.

Houthi rebels have detained 10 more UN personnel in Yemen, bringing the total number of UN staff detained since 2021 to 54.

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns this arbitrary detention of UN personnel, as well as that of our partners, and the ongoing unlawful seizure of UN premises and assets in areas under Houthi control,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Tuesday in New York.

“These actions hinder the UN’s ability to operate in Yemen and deliver critical assistance,” he added.

The Houthis, formally known as the Ansar Allah movement, have been battling Yemen’s internationally recognized government for more than a decade.

The rebels control large parts of the country, including the capital Sana’a, and have increasingly targeted humanitarian workers.

In addition to UN staff, the group is holding personnel from international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society groups, and diplomatic missions — all of whom are Yemeni nationals.

Since the start of the Gaza war, now in its third year, the Houthis have attacked Israeli and other commercial ships in the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with the Palestinian people. They have also launched drone and missile strikes against Israel.

The Secretary-General renewed his urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN and other detained personnel, stressing that they must be respected and protected in accordance with international law.

He reiterated that UN personnel must be allowed to work without hindrance and that UN premises and assets are inviolable and must be protected at all times.

“The United Nations will continue to work tirelessly, and through all available channels, to secure the safe and immediate release of all arbitrarily detained personnel, as well as the return of UN agency offices and other assets,” Mr. Dujarric said.

“The Secretary-General remains steadfast in the UN’s commitment to support the people of Yemen and their aspirations for a just and lasting peace.”