Houthis detain UN staff, including UNICEF representative

The U.S. ambassador to Yemen calls for the release of several abducted Yemeni employees working at the embassy, on the fourth anniversary of their kidnapping.

The Yemeni capital, Sanaa, witnessed a serious escalation by the armed Houthi group, which on Sunday detained twenty United Nations employees, including the UNICEF representative in Yemen, British national Peter Hawkins, according to UN sources.

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Jean Allam, spokesperson for the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Yemen, confirmed that the detentions took place inside one of the organization’s facilities located in the Hadda district, southwest of the capital. He explained that among the detainees were fifteen international staff members and five Yemenis working with various UN agencies. While eleven employees were later released after questioning, the others remain in custody.

According to informed sources, the raid occurred when armed Houthi fighters stormed the premises, seizing all communication devices, including mobile phones, computers, and servers, effectively paralyzing the office’s operations. The detained employees were affiliated with several humanitarian agencies, most notably the World Food Programme, UNICEF, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

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A UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the situation as “highly sensitive,” noting that the United Nations is conducting intensive communications with the de facto authorities in Sanaa, as well as with regional and international actors, to secure the immediate release of the detainees, ensure their safety, and regain control over the seized UN facilities.

These developments come as part of an ongoing escalation by the Houthis against international organizations. The group has previously carried out wide-ranging campaigns against humanitarian institutions operating in areas under its control, accusing their staff—without evidence—of spying for foreign entities. The United Nations has categorically rejected these accusations, calling them “baseless and misleading claims.”

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In this context, U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin once again drew attention to the case of the U.S. Embassy employees abducted by the Houthis four years ago, stressing that the group continues to unlawfully detain several former Yemeni staff members.

In an official statement, Fagin said: “The fourth anniversary of our colleagues’ abduction is a painful reminder of the Houthis’ repressive policies, not only against local employees but also against international aid workers striving to provide humanitarian assistance to the Yemeni people.”

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The ambassador added that the Houthis’ practices, including arbitrary detentions, fabricated charges, and forced confessions, constitute “a blatant violation of humanitarian standards,” urging the international community to maintain pressure for the unconditional release of all detainees.

Fagin concluded his statement by asserting that “the continued international isolation of the Houthis is a direct result of their loss of moral and political legitimacy.”

These events once again highlight the fragility of the security situation in areas under Houthi control and the growing challenges faced by international organizations in carrying out their humanitarian missions in Yemen.

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