Experts and human rights officials have raised alarms over the ongoing abduction of UN workers by Houthi rebels in Yemen, warning that such actions are severely hindering humanitarian efforts in the region.
The abduction of a Yemeni employee working for an international aid organization in Saada occurred just 24 hours after a World Food Program official was kidnapped in Sana’a, according to human rights sources.
Fahmi Al-Zubairi, director of the Human Rights Office in Sana’a, condemned the abductions as grave human rights violations and an open challenge to international laws. He noted that Houthis have made a habit of kidnapping and forcibly disappearing civilians since seizing control of Yemen’s capital and surrounding provinces.
The confiscation of personal property, including phones, computers, and cash, from aid workers is also considered a violation of international protocols and treaties. Zubairi held the Houthis responsible for worsening Yemen’s humanitarian situation, calling on the United Nations to take firm action and relocate its offices to Aden for the safety of its staff.
Nabil Abdul Hafeez, Yemen’s Deputy Minister for Legal and Human Rights Affairs, highlighted that the Houthis have kidnapped over 100 people in the past three months, using them as leverage for political gain. Despite warnings, many international workers in Sana’a believed their roles provided protection, but the escalating abductions prove otherwise.
