Al Arabiya: Houthis storm UN headquarters in Sana’a

Yemeni Houthis, members of the Ansar Allah movement, stormed the United Nations headquarters in Sana’a on October 18.

A UN source confirmed to Al Arabiya that the Houthis have intensified their attacks on the UN compound over the past two days.

The escalation followed a speech by Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi on October 9, in which he claimed that “dangerous spy cells” composed of individuals linked to humanitarian organisations were operating in Yemen.

Al-Houthi’s rhetoric, accusing UN agencies and aid organisations of “espionage and aggressive activities” against his group, has sparked alarm among Yemenis and humanitarian groups about the deepening crisis in the country.

The United Nations had earlier strongly rejected these accusations, calling them “deeply disturbing” and warning that such claims endanger the lives of humanitarian personnel working in Yemen.

The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, are both a religious and political movement that controls Sana’a, the country’s capital, along with much of its western and northern territories. These areas are home to over 20 million people, roughly 70% of Yemen’s population. The movement derives its name from a prominent clan in the Marran Mountains of Saada province, whose leaders spearheaded efforts for regional autonomy and eventually seized control over large parts of Yemen during 2014–2015.

By Tamilla Hasanova