Houthi authorities have raided a United Nations-run office in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, detaining at least 20 staff members, the UN confirmed on Sunday.
The organization said it is maintaining direct communication with the Houthi leadership to resolve the situation and ensure the release of all detainees. The Houthis, however, claimed that the UN employees were spying for Israel.
According to a report by Al Jazeera on Sunday night (October 19), UN spokesperson Jean Alam, the resident coordinator for Yemen, said the raid took place at the UN office in Sanaa’s Hadda district. Among those detained are at least five Yemeni nationals and 15 international staff. Another 11 UN employees were questioned and later released.
Alam added that the UN is working closely with Houthi authorities and other relevant parties to resolve the issue swiftly, secure the release of those detained, and regain full control of its Sanaa office.
Separately, a UN official told the Associated Press (AP) on condition of anonymity that Houthi forces confiscated all communication equipment during the raid, including computers, phones, and servers.
The detained employees work for several UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). According to the UN, more than 50 of its staff are currently being held by the Houthis.
The Houthis allege that the detained UN and foreign NGO workers are spying for the United States and Israel — accusations the UN has strongly denied.
Following the arrests, the UN suspended its operations in Sa’dah and relocated its chief humanitarian coordinator from Sanaa to Aden, where the internationally recognized government is based.
In recent months, such detentions have become increasingly frequent in Yemen. Since August 31 alone, at least 21 UN employees and 23 current and former staff members of international NGOs have been arrested, according to the UN.
For the past decade, Yemen has been engulfed in war, turning it into one of the poorest countries in the Middle East. The UN says Yemen is now facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with millions of people dependent on aid for survival.
