CITIZENS NEWS

Houthis detain 20 UN employees in Yemen amid escalating crackdown on aid workers

By bellecarter // 2025-10-20

• Yemen's Houthi rebels detained 20 UN employees (five Yemenis, 15 international workers) in Sanaa, accusing them of espionage—a claim the UN strongly denies.
• The arrests disrupt critical aid operations in Yemen, already devastated by war and famine. The Houthis confiscated UN communications equipment, severely hampering relief efforts.
• The UN and Yemen's internationally recognized government condemned the detentions, calling them "dangerous and unacceptable." The UN denies spying allegations and demands staff release.
• This is part of a longstanding Houthi campaign against international organizations, with 53 UN/NGO workers still detained—some since 2021—including one who died in custody.
• The detentions coincide with Houthi attacks on Israeli-linked ships in solidarity with Gaza. The UN warns that continued repression threatens millions of Yemenis reliant on aid, urging global action.

Yemen's Houthi rebels detained 20 United Nations employees in the capital, Sanaa, on Sunday, Oct. 19, following a raid on a UN residential compound. The detained staff—five Yemeni nationals and 15 international workers—were accused of espionage, allegations the UN vehemently denies. This latest crackdown further jeopardizes humanitarian operations in a country already ravaged by war and famine, raising concerns about the safety of aid workers and the future of critical relief efforts. Jean Alam, spokesperson for the UN resident coordinator in Yemen, confirmed the detentions, stating that negotiations are underway to secure the employees' release. The Houthis also seized all communications equipment from the facility, including phones, computers and servers, severely hampering UN operations. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, condemned the arrests as "dangerous and unacceptable," warning that such actions "seriously jeopardize the safety of UN personnel and undermine life-saving operations." The UN has repeatedly denied Houthi claims that its staff are spies working for the U.S. or Israel. Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani accused the UN of failing to protect its employees by maintaining operations in Houthi-controlled territory. In a post on X, he called for the immediate relocation of the UN headquarters to Aden, the seat of Yemen's internationally recognized government. "The detentions are part of a broader Houthi campaign targeting international organizations in Yemen. Since seizing power in 2014, the Iran-backed group has detained dozens of UN personnel, NGO workers and diplomats, often accusing them of espionage without evidence," said BrightU.AI's Enoch. According to the UN, at least 53 staff members remain in custody—some since 2021—including a World Food Program employee who died in detention earlier this year. The crackdown has forced the UN to suspend operations in some areas, including Saada province, and relocate key personnel to Aden. Despite these measures, humanitarian efforts remain precarious, with millions of Yemenis dependent on aid for survival amid one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Broader geopolitical tensions fueling the conflict

The detentions come amid heightened regional tensions, as the Houthis continue their attacks on Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea in solidarity with Gaza. The group has framed its actions as resistance to Israeli "genocidal acts," despite retaliatory U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. The UN's predicament underscores the challenges of operating in Houthi-controlled territory, where international law is routinely disregarded. With diplomatic pressure mounting, the UN has called for the immediate release of all detained personnel and the return of confiscated assets. As Yemen's humanitarian crisis deepens, the detention of UN workers threatens to further destabilize an already fragile aid network. The international community faces mounting pressure to take decisive action—not only to secure the release of detained personnel but also to hold the Houthis accountable for their escalating violations. Without swift intervention, Yemen's suffering will only worsen, leaving millions at risk of starvation and disease. Watch the video below where the Houthi spokesperson claimed they targeted Israel airport with hypersonic ballistic missile. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com AlJazeera.com APNews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com

national security terrorism Israel Middle East United Nations conspiracy big government chaos dangerous geopolitics Yemen humanitarian WWIII Houthi