The Iran-backed Houthi insurgency in Yemen has abducted another nine United Nations employees, raising the total number of U.N. personnel detained by the group over the past four years to 53. The Houthis, known for their hostility toward Western nations and Israel, have not explained the latest round of kidnappings or revealed where the employees are being held.
Most of those detained are Yemeni nationals, though several foreign U.N. staffers are also believed to be among those taken. The Houthis often claim their hostages are spies for the United States or its allies.
In August, the group kidnapped 19 U.N. employees from UNICEF and the World Food Program (WFP) offices, accusing them of conducting “espionage” for “the U.S. and its allies, including the Zionist entity.” The U.N. strongly rejected the accusation and demanded the workers’ immediate release.
The WFP condemned the detentions as “intolerable” and warned that continued interference would cripple aid delivery to vulnerable populations in Yemen. When its calls were ignored, the agency suspended all operations in Houthi-controlled territories, citing the safety of its staff. “We cannot continue our operations under conditions that threaten their freedom and well-being,” the WFP said.
After the latest abductions, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the Houthis are obstructing critical humanitarian efforts. “The Houthis’ actions are impeding the U.N.’s ability to deliver vital assistance,” he stated, urging “the immediate and unconditional release” of all detained personnel.
The U.N. reiterated that aid workers must be “respected and protected in accordance with international law.” Dujarric added that the organization will “continue to work tirelessly through all available channels” to secure the release of its staff and the restoration of seized offices and equipment.
The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah (“Army of Allah”), seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. Backed by Iran, the Houthis have destabilized the Arabian Peninsula for nearly a decade, waging a brutal civil war and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Their official slogan—“Allah Is Great, Death to America, Death to Israel, a Curse Upon the Jews”—underscores their alignment with Tehran’s extremist ideology. The group has also launched missile and drone attacks on international shipping and Israeli targets in support of Hamas since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.
