On Sunday, August 31, 2025, Iran-backed Houthi forces raided United Nations offices—including those of the World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF—in Sanaa and Hodeidah, detaining at least 11 UN employees. The raids came shortly after an Israeli airstrike killed the Houthis’ prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, and several top ministers. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg both strongly condemned the detentions and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the detained personnel. The UN has paused all travel and operations in Houthi-controlled areas due to a long-standing pattern of arrests and enforced disappearances of humanitarian and UN personnel. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have documented that since mid-2024, dozens of UN and NGO staff have been arbitrarily detained by the Houthis, often held incommunicado, without access to legal counsel, and without contact with their families.
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