Yemen’s Houthis detain 20 UN staff in latest raid

United Nations Staff Detained by Houthi Forces in Yemen

A brazen raid carried out by Yemen's Houthi forces has left the international community reeling, with over two dozen United Nations staff members detained at a facility in the capital city of Sanaa. The UN has confirmed that at least five Yemeni employees and 15 international personnel are among those held captive.

The detention is the latest in a series of attacks by the Houthis on UN facilities and personnel, leaving millions reliant on aid for survival. Ten years of conflict have taken a devastating toll on Yemen, with the country's economy and infrastructure on the brink of collapse.

According to the UN, Houthi forces confiscated all communication equipment from the facility, including computers, phones, and servers. The Houthis have repeatedly accused detained UN staff and employees of foreign NGOs and embassies of espionage on behalf of the United States and Israel, allegations that the UN has denied.

In a statement, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned that the accusations are "dangerous and unacceptable." The UN is in direct contact with the Houthis and other relevant actors to resolve the situation swiftly and release all detained personnel.

The detention of 53 UN staff members has been condemned by the international community, with many calling for an end to the arbitrary detentions. The situation is a stark reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where millions are struggling to access basic necessities like food, water, and healthcare.

As tensions continue to escalate, the international community is left to wonder what the future holds for the people of Yemen, who have been caught in the crossfire of a conflict that shows no signs of abating.

this is getting outta hand can't believe the houthis are still targeting aid workers like they're spies what's wrong with them? 15 international staff and 5 Yemeni employees detained without any charges, it's a disaster the UN should be doing more to protect their people but I guess that's politics for u

Ugh man this is just getting out of hand , I mean i'm all for holding people accountable but detaining 53 UN staff members is a whole other level of crazy , and its not like they were doing anything wrong to warrant it either... the Houthis need to chill out and stop making baseless accusations , this is just gonna cause more suffering for the Yemeni ppl who are already struggling to survive , and what's with all these "dangerous and unacceptable" statements , can't we just try to find a peaceful solution here for once?

this is getting so out of hand, like, can't we just get along already? The UN staff being held captive by the Houthis is totally unacceptable... I mean, what's next? The US government detaining international aid workers in Yemen? No way, that would be a total disaster for the people who really need help. The fact that Houthi forces have confiscated all communication equipment from the facility is just crazy talk... they're basically shutting down the only lifeline for millions of people in Yemen right now. The UN Secretary-General needs to step up and do something about this ASAP, like, what's the point of having a statement if no action gets taken?

can't believe this is happening again to the UN staff, i mean, they're just trying to help ppl in need, not spies or anything! it's like, what's next? gonna start detaining aid workers too? and yeah, 10 yrs of conflict is already a disaster, but this? that's just cruel. all these allegations are just baseless & u gotta wonder if the Houthis actually believe their own BS anyway, the UN should do something ASAP to get these ppl outta there & make sure they're safe

This is getting outta control I mean, how many times can we see innocent people get caught up in this senseless violence? 53 UN staff members are being held hostage just because they work for an organization that's supposed to be helping the world . It's like Houthi forces think they're above the law or something... Newsflash: you're not. This is exactly why we need more humanitarian efforts to get people out of this mess, not less .

This latest development in Yemen is truly alarming. The brazen raid by Houthi forces on UN facilities has raised serious concerns about the safety and security of aid workers and international personnel. The fact that communication equipment was confiscated, including computers and phones, suggests a deliberate effort to disrupt the delivery of humanitarian assistance. It's also disturbing to see accusations of espionage being leveled against detained staff without evidence. Given the UN's extensive experience in managing complex conflicts and humanitarian crises, one can't help but feel that these allegations are unfounded and part of a broader pattern of intimidation and coercion. The international community must continue to apply pressure on all parties involved to release the detained personnel and ensure that aid reaches those who desperately need it.

omg this is so messed up 53 ppl detained by houthi forces its like they dont care about all the suffering in yemen like what can u even do to deserve that? the intl community needs to step in ASAP and get those people released ASAP!!! we cant just sit back and watch millions struggle to access basic necessities food, water, healthcare... how r they supposed 2 live w/o aid??

UN staff being held hostage by Houthi forces is just not okay . Can't believe it's still happening after all these years . We need to support Yemen and its people, not put them in harm's way .

omg this is literally so wrong like what even are we doing here?? i was watching the news and saw those poor ppl being held captive and i'm just shook. my heart goes out to all those families of the detained staff, god bless 'em. have you seen the pics of the facility they're being held in? it's literally a maximum-security prison . someone needs to do somethin' about this ASAP because the situation is gettin' outta control. i mean, can u imagine if it was your fam that was goin down like this?? no way, my brain can't even process it

I'm totally worried about these 53 UN staff members being detained by Houthi forces . It's crazy how this conflict is affecting so many innocent lives. Ten years of war has already taken a huge toll on Yemen, and now we're seeing the international community come together to try and resolve this situation. I think the UN should keep trying to negotiate with the Houthis, but they need to make sure that these allegations of espionage are investigated properly . The accusations against the detained staff members could be serious, but they also feel like they might be a convenient excuse for the Houthis to cause more chaos. Either way, it's not good news for the people of Yemen who are already struggling to survive .

this is so heartbreaking, you know? 53 people held captive, innocent just trying to do their jobs and help those in need... it's like, what's the point of all this conflict? is it really worth risking human lives and causing so much suffering? i mean, can't we all just get along and work towards a better future?

i think about my own life and how easily things could go wrong. one day, everything is fine, the next minute something comes crashing down... it's like, what's the point of all our planning and preparations if we're not even in control of our own lives?

anyway, i guess what i'm trying to say is that this situation just makes me really grateful for my own life and all the blessings i have. let's all take a moment to appreciate the little things, you know?

this is so concerning ... gotta think about all those innocent ppl being held captive just because they work for the UN or some NGO. like, what even happened to diplomacy and negotiation? can't we resolve conflicts peacefully anymore? and it's not just the ppl being detained, it's the whole country that's suffering - economy, infrastructure, healthcare... everything is on the brink of collapse . gotta keep calling out for an end to this senseless violence and get those ppl released ASAP

man this is just heartbreaking those 53 UN staff members are innocent people just doing their job and now they're being held hostage it's like, what's next? when will we reach a point where aid workers can't even go to a war zone without being targeted? the Houthis need to stop blaming everyone else for their problems and take responsibility for themselves it's so sad that millions of Yemenis are still struggling to get by, living without basic necessities like food and water we need to keep supporting these people and finding ways to bring peace to the region ASAP