Aden – The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has called on the Houthi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release at least 11 UN staff members detained during recent raids on UN premises in Sana’a and Hodeida.

In a strongly worded statement issued Sunday, Grundberg condemned what he described as a “new wave of arbitrary detentions,” warning that such actions violate international law and undermine humanitarian operations in Yemen. The detainees reportedly include employees from the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF.

“These arrests violate the fundamental obligation to respect and protect the safety, dignity, and ability of UN personnel to carry out their essential work,” Grundberg said, adding that the Houthis had also seized UN property and forcibly entered multiple UN facilities.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres echoed the envoy’s concerns, demanding the release of all detained UN, NGO, and diplomatic staff, some of whom have been held since 2021. “The safety and security of UN personnel and property, as well as the inviolability of UN premises, must be guaranteed at all times,” Guterres stated.

The detentions come amid heightened tensions following Israeli strikes on Houthi-controlled areas, which the group claims killed senior officials. The UN has warned that Yemen must not become a battleground for broader geopolitical conflicts and urged all parties to de-escalate.

Humanitarian organizations have expressed alarm over the arrests, noting that such actions jeopardize life-saving aid efforts in a country where over half the population depends on external assistance.