U.N. Staff Under Siege in Yemen: A Crisis Unfolds
Fifteen U.N. international staff in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, have been restricted to the U.N. compound by Houthi authorities. While some staff members have been freed, others remain detained since 2021. U.N. Secretary-General Guterres discusses the ongoing crisis with regional leaders amid alarming espionage accusations against U.N. workers.
Fifteen international United Nations staff members have been confined to the U.N. compound in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, following an incursion by Houthi authorities, as confirmed by U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Monday.
The staff can now move about the compound and have contacted their families and U.N. agencies. Dujarric expressed hope for their full release soon. Five Yemeni staff, detained since Saturday, have already been freed. An additional 53 U.N. personnel remain detained by the Houthis since 2021.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres engaged in dialogue with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Oman regarding the detentions. The Houthis, in power in most of Yemen since 2014, have accused U.N. staff of espionage, a claim strongly condemned by the U.N.
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