UN Says Yemen’s Huthi Rebels Continue to Detain 20 Staff Members

The United Nations office in Yemen confirmed on Sunday that Huthi rebels were continuing to hold 20 of its staff members following a raid on the organisation’s compound in Sanaa the previous day.

On Saturday, the UN reported that armed Huthi security personnel had made an “unauthorised entry” into its premises in the Yemeni capital.

“Five national staff and fifteen international staff remain detained within the compound,”
said Jean Alam, spokesperson for the UN Resident Coordinator in Yemen, in a statement on Sunday.

He added that the UN was actively engaging with authorities in Sanaa, the government of Yemen, and relevant member states to “resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa.”

Later that day, a UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to AFP that Peter Hawkins, UNICEF’s representative in Yemen, was among those detained — a detail corroborated by two Huthi security sources.

Timeline of Detentions

A senior Huthi official previously alleged that those detained in August were spying for the United States and Israel, a claim the UN has strongly rejected.

Rebel leader Abdelmalek al-Huthi, in a televised address on Thursday, claimed that his forces had “dismantled one of the most dangerous spy cells” allegedly linked to humanitarian organisations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF.

In response, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, denounced the accusations as “dangerous and unacceptable.”

“We will continue to call for an end to the arbitrary detention of 53 of our colleagues,”
Dujarric stated, reaffirming the UN’s demand for the immediate release of all personnel.

Saturday’s raid marks an alarming escalation in the Huthis’ confrontations with international humanitarian agencies. Over recent months, dozens of UN employees and NGO workers have been arbitrarily detained in territories under Huthi control.

In September 2025, the UN formally relocated its humanitarian coordination office from Sanaa to Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, citing safety and access concerns.

The ongoing conflict, now entering its tenth year, has devastated Yemen’s infrastructure and economy. According to the UN, the war has plunged the country into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing hunger, displacement, and lack of access to essential services.

“Every act that obstructs humanitarian operations deepens the suffering of Yemen’s civilians,” a UN humanitarian representative said.

Overview of the Situation

The detentions represent a serious breach of international norms protecting humanitarian personnel. The United Nations continues to urge the Huthi leadership to comply with international law, release all detained staff members without condition, and restore safe operational access to humanitarian agencies working to aid Yemen’s war-stricken population.