The Iran-backed Houthi rebels raided United Nations offices in Yemen’s capital on Sunday, detaining at least 11 UN staff members, officials confirmed. The move came shortly after Israel killed the Houthis’ prime minister and several Cabinet members, prompting the group to tighten security across Sanaa.
According to Abeer Etefa, spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP), armed Houthi forces stormed the offices of the WFP, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF in the Houthi-controlled capital early Sunday. Employees were questioned in the parking lot before several were taken away, said a UN official who requested anonymity.
Ammar Ammar, spokesperson for UNICEF, confirmed that some of the agency’s staff members were detained and that UNICEF is trying to verify their whereabouts. Both UNICEF and the WFP said they are conducting a full headcount of personnel in Sanaa and other rebel-held areas.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the raids, the seizure of UN property, and the detention of staff. He called for their immediate and unconditional release, stressing that the raids were part of a broader crackdown on international organizations operating in Houthi-controlled Yemen.
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