UN Offices Raided in Yemen by Iran-Backed Houthis, 11 Employees Detained

Houthi Raid on UN Facilities

• 🎯 Iran-backed Houthis raided offices of the UN’s food, health, and children’s agencies in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
• 📌 At least 11 UN employees were detained without cause.
• ⚠️ The rebels also seized UN property and broke into UN facilities.

International Condemnation and Demands

• 🗣️ UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the arrests and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained staff.
• 🌍 The UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grunberg, echoed these sentiments, stating the detentions followed forced entry and property seizure.

Impact on Aid Delivery

• 🆘 The World Food Program reported the detention of at least one worker, calling the actions unacceptable.
• 🤝 The safety of aid workers was stressed as essential for delivering life-saving assistance.

Precedent of Houthi Actions

• 🗓️ This is not the first time the Houthis have targeted UN staff.
• ⚖️ According to UN officials, the Houthis are already detaining 23 UN staff members, some since 2021.