The Houthis, an internationally designated terror group that governs part of Yemen, has taken at least nine United Nations employees captive, The Associated Press reported Friday.
Authorities told the outlet that it was unclear why the employees were abducted and that the rebel group had likely also detained other aid workers from other organizations. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Rep Unveils Bill Cracking Down On Groups Supporting Houthi Attacks)
BREAKING: Yemen’s Houthi rebels detain at least 9 UN staffers and others in sudden crackdown, officials say https://t.co/Zi5h7wJjgp
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 7, 2024
Regional officials told AP that those taken worked for “the U.N. human rights agency, its development program, the World Food Program and one working for the office of its special envoy.” The Houthis also detained the wife of a U.N. hostage, the officials said.
The United Nations declined to comment on the situation, AP reported.
In a statement to the outlet, the Yemen-based Mayyun Organization for Human Rights said, “We condemn in the strongest terms this dangerous escalation, which constitutes a violation of the privileges and immunities of United Nations employees granted to them under international law, and we consider it to be oppressive, totalitarian, blackmailing practices to obtain political and economic gains.”
Save the Children, another non-governmental organization, told the outlet that they were “concerned of the whereabouts of one of our staff members in Yemen and doing everything we can to ensure his safety and well-being.”
The ongoing civil war in Yemen between the Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government has killed around 150,000 people since 2014, AP reported.
The United States and United Kingdom have been bombing Houthi positions in Yemen since January in response to the group’s interference with Red Sea shipping.
