(Israel, 1st) Following Israel's airstrike on Yemen's "Youth Movement" (Houthis), which resulted in the deaths of the Prime Minister and several cabinet members, armed members of the "Youth Movement" on Sunday (31st) raided the local offices of United Nations' food, health, and children’s agencies, and detained at least 11 UN employees.
UN Secretary-General Guterres expressed anger at this and called for their immediate and unconditional release.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, stated that at least 11 UN staff were detained on the same day in Yemen's capital Sana'a and Al Hudaydah Governorate.
Grundberg said that "Youth Movement" armed personnel broke into the UN's local offices and sealed assets. With this incident, the total number of UN employees detained by "Youth Movement" armed personnel has reached 34, some of whom have been held for years. Earlier this year, a UN staff member died while detained in northern Saada province.
Grundberg called on the "Youth Movement" armed group to immediately and unconditionally release all detained staff from the United Nations and other international aid organizations.
Yemeni humanitarian workers and security department officials in Sana'a confirmed to Xinhua reporters that the "Youth Movement" detained several World Food Programme staff at the UN offices in Sana'a and Al Hudaydah. The "Youth Movement" also detained and interrogated several UNICEF staff members.
Sources in Yemen reported that after Israel’s airstrike on August 28th, which killed the head of the "Youth Movement" administrative body and several senior officials, the intelligence department of the "Youth Movement" detained dozens of people in Sana'a and other regions, including some local humanitarian workers and international aid organization staff, on the grounds that they were suspected of colluding with Israel.
UN Secretary-General Guterres expressed anger at this and called for their immediate and unconditional release.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, stated that at least 11 UN staff were detained on the same day in Yemen's capital Sana'a and Al Hudaydah Governorate.
Grundberg said that "Youth Movement" armed personnel broke into the UN's local offices and sealed assets. With this incident, the total number of UN employees detained by "Youth Movement" armed personnel has reached 34, some of whom have been held for years. Earlier this year, a UN staff member died while detained in northern Saada province.
Grundberg called on the "Youth Movement" armed group to immediately and unconditionally release all detained staff from the United Nations and other international aid organizations.
Yemeni humanitarian workers and security department officials in Sana'a confirmed to Xinhua reporters that the "Youth Movement" detained several World Food Programme staff at the UN offices in Sana'a and Al Hudaydah. The "Youth Movement" also detained and interrogated several UNICEF staff members.
Sources in Yemen reported that after Israel’s airstrike on August 28th, which killed the head of the "Youth Movement" administrative body and several senior officials, the intelligence department of the "Youth Movement" detained dozens of people in Sana'a and other regions, including some local humanitarian workers and international aid organization staff, on the grounds that they were suspected of colluding with Israel.