9 Yemeni employees of United Nations agencies have been detained by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The circumstances around these detentions are unclear. The Houthis, who have been in control of Yemen’s capital for almost a decade and are currently fighting a Saudi-led coalition, are facing increased financial pressure and airstrikes from the US-led coalition.
The detentions come at a time when the Houthis have been targeting shipping routes in the Red Sea due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Despite gaining more international attention, the Houthis are cracking down on dissent at home, recently sentencing 44 people to death.
Regional officials, who spoke anonymously as they were not authorized to brief the media, confirmed the detentions of the UN workers. The detained staff include members from the United Nations human rights agency, its development program, the World Food Program, and one from the office of its special envoy. In addition, the wife of one of the detained workers is also being held.
The UN has not yet commented on the situation, the Mayyun Organization for Human Rights identified the detained UN staff and reported that employees from other aid groups across four Houthi-held provinces—Amran, Hodeida, Saada, and Sana’a—were also detained. These aid groups have not acknowledged the detentions so far.
The Mayyun Organization condemned the detentions, calling them a dangerous escalation and a violation of the international privileges and immunities granted to UN employees. They described the detentions as oppressive and a form of blackmail to achieve political and economic gains.
The Houthi rebels and their media have not acknowledged the detentions. However, the rebels planned mass demonstrations after Friday prayers, where Houthi officials usually speak about their actions.
The reason behind the detentions is unclear. However, the Houthis are struggling with economic issues, highlighted by their introduction of a new coin in the Yemeni currency, the riyal. This move has been criticized as counterfeiting by Yemen’s exiled government in Aden and other countries. Authorities in Aden have also demanded that all banks move their headquarters there.
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Yemeni journalist Mohammed Ali Thamer warned in an analysis that internal tensions and conflicts could lead Yemen into complete economic collapse. The US plans to increase economic pressure on the Houthis by blocking their revenue sources, including a planned $1.5 billion Saudi payment for government salaries in rebel-held areas.
The war in Yemen has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The Houthis’ attacks on shipping have diverted attention from their domestic problems and the stalemated war. However, they have been facing increasing casualties and damage from US-led airstrikes for months.
During the war, the Houthis have imprisoned thousands. An investigation found that some detainees were tortured with acid, forced to hang from their wrists for weeks, or beaten with batons. Also, the Houthis have also used child soldiers and laid mines indiscriminately.
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