On June 7, Houthi insurgents raided the homes and offices of humanitarian workers of a number of UN agencies, diplomatic missions, and international and non-governmental organizations. They abducted some 50 people, all of them Yemeni nationals, claiming that the victims were a part of an Israeli-US spy network.
This latest group of detainees joins a number of other hostages currently held by the Houthis. Although these Yemeni belligerents released 113 hostages in May, most of them for health reasons, they still detain a number of people they have abducted over the past several months, or even years.
“We condemn these detentions,” said U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs at the UN, Robert Wood, and we “call for the Houthis to release these detainees immediately.”
“The United States is deeply disturbed by reports that Houthi rebels detained at least 50 Yemeni employees of UN agencies, Member State diplomatic missions, private companies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations. These detentions include 13 UN employees,” he said.
“We also strongly condemn Houthi efforts to spread disinformation regarding the role of detained U.S. current and former local staff through televised forced and phony, so-called confessions,” said Ambassador Wood.
“The simple fact is that the Houthis have held these individuals without justification for more than two-and-a-half years – two-and-a-half years. Their detention, alongside that of the UN staff, is an affront to international norms. They all should be released immediately. ”
Yemen is currently in the midst of one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The detention of humanitarian workers will likely have serious, far-reaching ramifications on the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people, many of whom are in urgent need of assistance.
“The humanitarian situation in Yemen remains difficult, and Yemenis need the support of the international community now more than ever,” said Ambassador Wood. “The detention of UN and NGO staff directly and negatively affects the ability for organizations to provide humanitarian aid. ”
“Yet again, the Houthis are seeking to use disinformation to distract from their failures to meet the needs of the Yemeni people,” said Ambassador Wood. “These actions further call into question the Houthis’ commitment to doing what is in the best interests of the Yemeni people; instead, it shows their focus on their own ideological goals.”
