Another United Nations staff member has been detained by the Houthis in Yemen, raising the number of UN employees apprehended in recent days to six, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed Monday, according to the Reuters news agency.
The latest arrest followed a raid by Houthi security forces on multiple UN offices in the capital city of Sanaa on Sunday. Dujarric stated that Houthis confiscated IT and communication equipment and other assets during the operation.
According to the UN, at least 59 of its personnel are currently being held by the Iran-backed Houthi regime, with some reportedly detained for years. The organization condemned the ongoing arrests and expressed deep concern for the safety of its staff.
On Sunday, the Houthis announced that three of the detained UN employees had been charged with espionage on behalf of Israel.
Last week, the Houthi rebels released 12 international United Nations staff members and allowed three others to move freely within the UN compound in Sanaa, days after detaining them during a raid on the facility in Yemen’s capital.
The UN has warned that the Houthis’ actions are making it “increasingly difficult” to deliver humanitarian aid. Haq noted last week that the organization is now reassessing its operations in Houthi-held territory.