Nine more UN staff members have been detained by Yemen's Houthi rebels, bringing the total number of personnel held since 2021 to 53, spokesman Stephane Dujarric has said.
“The Secretary General [Antonio Guterres] strongly condemns the continued arbitrary detentions of its personnel and its partners, as well as the ongoing unlawful seizure of UN premises and assets in areas under Houthi control,” Mr Dujarric said on Monday.
He did not specify the timing or circumstances of the latest detentions.
In August the Houthis raided UN premises in Sanaa and detained at least 18 UN staff after an Israeli strike on the city that killed the prime minister of the Houthi-run government Ahmed Al Rahawi and several other ministers.
Houthi officials accused the UN staff of being spies, saying their legal immunity should not shield espionage activities.
The Houthi Foreign Ministry has also accused the UN of bias, saying it failed to denounce the Israeli attack on Sanaa but criticised the legal detention of UN workers.
“The Secretary General reiterates his urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel,” Mr Dujarric said. “They must be respected and protected in accordance with applicable international law.”
Yemen has been split between a Houthi administration in Sanaa and a Saudi-backed government in Aden since the Iran-aligned group seized the capital in late 2014, starting a decade-long conflict.
The Houthis are a key component of Iran's anti-Israel axis across the Middle East. They have launched repeated drone and missile attacks against Israel since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023.
Israel has carried out several rounds of retaliatory strikes on Yemen, against ports, power stations and the international airport in Sanaa.
Last month the UN Security Council demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the staff, warning that the crackdown by the Houthis risks worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis.
Some previous arrests by the Houthis have led to the suspension of UN humanitarian operations in the country.
The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the detentions. It also denounced the forced entry by Houthi authorities into UN premises, including offices of the World Food Programme and the UN children's fund, and the seizure of UN property, calling the actions clear violations of international law.
The council urged the Houthis to ensure a safe and secure operating environment for UN staff and allow the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian assistance in areas under their control.
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