The United Nations’ Human Rights Office in Sanaa, Yemen, was seized by the Houthis earlier this month. The UN condemned the seizure, as the Houthis took documents, furniture, and vehicles from the office. This is just the latest crackdown by the Iranian-aligned group on the UN, aid agencies, and foreign embassies in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza, including targeting ships in the Red Sea.
The seizure took place on August 3, with the local UN employees being forced to hand over their belongings and documents. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, demanded that the Houthis must leave the premises and return all assets and belongings immediately. Operations in areas under Houthi control have been suspended by the UN’s Human Rights Office, but continue in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government backed by a Saudi-led coalition.
The Houthis detained over 60 people working with the UN and other NGOs in June, claiming they were members of an American-Israeli spy network. However, the UN insisted these claims were baseless, stating that their activities were solely to serve the people of Yemen in accordance with their mandate. The conflict in Yemen has resulted in over 150,000 deaths and has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, with tens of thousands more at risk.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
