UN staff member detained after Houthis raided offices in Sanaa, UN spokesperson says
UN condemns Houthi detentions of staff in Yemen, with 59 held as security forces raid offices, seizing equipment, making aid delivery harder.
Another United Nations staff member has been detained in Yemen, bringing the number of the world body’s employees apprehended in recent days to six, a UN spokesperson said on Monday.
The latest detention came after Houthi security forces entered several United Nations offices in Sanaa, Yemen, on Sunday, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general.
He added that the Houthis confiscated IT and communication equipment and assets.
At least 59 UN personnel are being held by Houthis, according to Dujarric, who condemned the continued detentions. Some have been held for years, the UN said.
There are hundreds of UN personnel remaining in parts of Houthi-controlled Yemen, including a small number of international staff, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general.
A boy holds a toy weapon as protesters, predominantly Houthi supporters, attend a pro-Palestinian rally one day after Israeli airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, September 26, 2025; illustrative. (credit: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
“Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of all UN personnel, including securing the release of colleagues who have been arbitrarily detained and those of our local partners who have also been affected, and prevent further detentions,” Haq said.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have controlled most of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since seizing power in 2014 and early 2015.
Houthis make it difficult for UN to provide assistance to Yemenis
According to the UN, Houthis have taken steps that have made it “increasingly difficult” for the agency to provide assistance to those in need in Yemen.
Haj said last week that the Houthi’s actions are forcing the UN to reassess how it works in areas controlled by the group.
