UN renews call for immediate release of humanitarian staff detained in Yemen

MADRID Dec. 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations Secretariat has made a new call this Friday for the “immediate and unconditional release” of humanitarian personnel detained “arbitrarily by the Houthis” six months ago in Yemen.

“Six months have passed since the arrest of more than 50 United Nations officials, international and national non-governmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions, in addition to four other UN officials detained since 2021 and 2023,” said the spokesperson. of the UN Secretary General, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement.

“The Secretary General (António Guterres) recognizes the recent release of a United Nations official and two people from an NGO, but recalls that the continued arbitrary detention of dozens of more people is unacceptable and constitutes a violation of International Law,” he said. asserted.

In this way, the spokesperson stressed that the arrests “threaten the safety of humanitarian personnel and considerably harm efforts to help millions of people in need.” The General Secretariat has insisted that such actions are incompatible with a true commitment to peace in Yemen.

“The United Nations, NGOs and other relevant international partners are working through all possible channels and authorities to achieve the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained,” Dujarric concluded.

The Houthis, a Yemeni insurgency backed by Iran, have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and other areas in the north and west of the country since 2015. In recent months they have gained prominence for their attacks in the Red Sea against ships linked to Israel. .

The Yemeni rebels threaten all vessels with some type of Israeli connection in the wake of the Israeli Army’s offensive against the Gaza Strip, while warning of possible attacks on American and British ships in response to the bombings against Yemen.