Yemen’s Houthi authorities have detained nearly two dozen United Nations employees following a raid on another UN-operated compound in the capital, Sanaa, the global body has confirmed.
According to Jean Alam, spokesperson for the UN’s resident coordinator in Yemen, Houthi security forces stormed the UN facility in the city’s Hada district on Sunday, detaining several staff members inside. Those held include at least five Yemeni nationals and about 15 international employees, while another 11 were questioned briefly and later freed.
Alam said the UN was maintaining direct communication with the Houthis and other stakeholders “to resolve this serious situation swiftly, secure the release of all personnel, and re-establish full control over its premises in Sanaa.”
A UN official, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, revealed that the Houthi forces seized all communications devices within the compound, including computers, mobile phones, and servers.
The detained employees reportedly work across several UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
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The latest arrests mark a deepening crackdown by the Houthis on international aid organisations operating in areas under their control — including Sanaa, Hodeidah, and Saada province. UN data indicates that more than 50 of its staff members are currently in detention.
Houthi officials have repeatedly accused detained UN and NGO workers of spying for the United States and Israel — allegations the UN has consistently dismissed as baseless.
Following earlier detentions, the UN temporarily suspended operations in Saada and relocated its top humanitarian representative from Sanaa to Aden, seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
In a statement on Saturday, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reaffirmed calls for the immediate release of all 53 detained UN employees, calling the arrests “arbitrary and unjustified.”
Dujarric’s remarks followed a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdelmalek al-Houthi, who claimed his movement had dismantled “one of the most dangerous spy cells,” which he alleged had ties to humanitarian organisations such as WFP and UNICEF — accusations Dujarric condemned as “dangerous and unacceptable.”
The Sunday raid adds to a sharp rise in detentions. Since August 31, at least 21 UN staff and 23 current or former employees of international NGOs have been arrested, according to UN figures.
After a decade of devastating conflict, Yemen remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, with millions dependent on international aid for basic survival.