UN suspends operations in Houthi-held Yemen after seven staff members detained

The United Nations has announced the detention of seven of its personnel by Houthi authorities in northern Yemen, prompting the suspension of all staff movement in Houthi-controlled areas.

The organization is urgently seeking the immediate release of the detainees, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

In a statement released on January 24, UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the detentions and called for the prompt release of the staff members. "The United Nations will continue to work through all possible channels to secure the safe and immediate release of those arbitrarily detained," Guterres emphasized.

The arrests occurred in the area around the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, according to the UN's initial report. In response to the developments, all official movement of UN personnel into or within Houthi-held territories has been suspended to ensure the safety of staff.

"The continued targeting of UN personnel and its partners negatively impacts our ability to assist millions of people in need in Yemen," Guterres stated, underscoring the humanitarian consequences of such actions.

The Houthis, an Iranian-aligned group, have been involved in numerous confrontations, including attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, which have prompted retaliatory airstrikes from the United States and Britain. Last June, the United Nations also reported the detention of 11 of its staff members by the group.

Houthi officials were unavailable for comment on the recent detentions. The Houthis have previously held around 20 Yemeni employees of the US embassy in Sanaa for the past three years, after the embassy suspended its operations nearly a decade ago.

The United Nations has expressed grave concern over the escalating situation, emphasizing the detrimental effect on its humanitarian efforts in Yemen, where millions of people continue to face dire conditions due to the ongoing conflict.

By Vafa Guliyeva