Yemen – US Secretary of State accuses Houthis of insulting international community
The international community is willing to extend the Yemeni truce that ended a few days ago, but the Houthis continue to reject all UN and government proposals for a peace deal in Yemen, and the militias continue to hold diplomatic missions and violate international norms.
Yesterday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on the Houthi group to release US and UN embassy staff, accusing the Houthis of insulting the entire international community and ignoring diplomatic norms by insisting on detaining the staff.
“A year ago, Houthi forces stormed the compound used by the US embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, before it suspended operations in 2015, and began unjustifiably detaining Yemeni staff,” Blinken said in a statement posted on the US State Department’s website.
“To date, 12 current and former US and UN local staff members remain in detention, most of whom have not contacted their families, and one died in custody earlier this year.”
“The United States will continue unabated diplomatic efforts to secure their release and work with our international partners, and these actions continue to call into question the Houthis’ desire for peace to return to Yemen,” he said.
“The UN Security Council condemned the Houthis’ actions in the strongest terms, as did Congress and many international partners,” he said.
“The United States is committed to providing a lasting solution to the Yemen conflict, and to ensuring the safety of those who serve the U.S. government,” he said.
Blinken called on the Houthis to release these Yemeni citizens and return them to their families as “proof of their commitment to peace for the Yemeni people and their willingness to participate in a future government that respects the rule of law.”
“Today, we reiterate our call on the Houthis to immediately release our Yemeni staff working for the US government,” USAID President Samantha Power said in a statement.
“Over the past year, the Houthis have detained former and current US and UN staff, most of whom have been unable to communicate with their families, and their continued detention is unjustified.”
“USAID and all its staff are working hard to improve the lives of the Yemeni people, but the Houthis’ continued detention sends a worrying message about their commitment to peace,” she said.
The Houthis should immediately and unconditionally release our Yemeni colleagues.”
“The United States and the European Union on Wednesday called on the Houthi group in Yemen to release 12 Washington Embassy staff in Sanaa, marking the first anniversary of the employees’ detention on October 19, 2021.
In 2015, the US closed its embassy in Yemen indefinitely, evacuated staff and their families due to the deteriorating security situation in the country, and 12 staff members who worked with the US and the UN remain detained, “most of whom have not contacted their families, and one died in custody earlier this year.”
For seven years, the conflict in Yemen has pitted the Iran-backed Houthis against legitimate government forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition.
