As-salamu alaykum - UN says Houthi spying claims are 'disturbing', asks for release of detained aid staff
As-salamu alaykum - quick take on a worrying situation in Yemen.
The UN has firmly denied Houthi accusations that its staff in Yemen were spying, calling those claims “extremely disturbing” and saying they endanger lives. Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stressed that UN work in Yemen is only humanitarian and not political.
Right now the Houthis have detained a number of UN and NGO workers - the UN says at least 53 staff are being held, and some have been cut off from contact for years. The arrests came after an Israeli airstrike in September that killed senior Houthi figures in Sanaa, and the group has since accused some UN employees of spying for the US and Israel and of showing political bias.
Houthi officials also argued that diplomatic immunity shouldn’t be used to hide alleged wrongdoing. The UN pushed back hard, reminding everyone that their teams follow the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, and that their goal is to help the Yemeni people.
The Secretary-General has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN personnel, NGO workers and detained diplomatic staff. Human Rights Watch and other observers say no solid evidence has been shown to back the espionage claims, and warn that these detentions are getting in the way of vital aid.
This episode has raised broader concerns about how aid workers are treated in Houthi-held areas and about the group’s relations with international agencies. Despite the tensions, the UN insists it will keep working on humanitarian relief and push for the release of its colleagues.
May Allah protect those who are helping civilians and may He grant safety to the detained. Yemen’s conflict, which worsened after the Houthis took Sanaa in 2015, continues to cause one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world, and peace efforts have struggled amid regional instability.
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