Houthis Escalate Crackdown, Detain Two Dozen UN Staff in Coordinated Sanaa Raid
Published Date: 19th Oct, 2025
SANAA, YEMEN – Houthi security forces have detained approximately two dozen United Nations employees following a series of raids on UN facilities in the capital Sanaa, a severe escalation in the group's long-running crackdown on international aid operations in Yemen.
A UN official confirmed on Sunday that the detention, which included both Yemeni and 15 international staff, occurred after the Iranian-backed rebels raided a UN compound in Sanaa's Hada neighborhood. The rebels reportedly released 11 staffers after questioning but are holding the rest. The detained personnel work for multiple critical agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The raids extended beyond personnel, as the Houthi forces confiscated essential communications equipment, including phones, servers, and computers, further disrupting the ability of the UN to manage aid flows in the crisis-stricken nation.
Espionage Claims and Humanitarian Fallout
The latest arrests bring the total number of UN and international aid workers detained by the Houthis to over 50 in recent months. The rebels have repeatedly leveled unsubstantiated accusations of "espionage" against the aid workers—claims the UN has fiercely and repeatedly denied.
The UN is now demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all detained personnel, warning that the crackdown severely compromises life-saving operations in Yemen, where millions are on the brink of famine. The detention campaign has already forced the UN to suspend operations in the Houthi stronghold of Saada province and relocate its top humanitarian coordinator out of Sanaa.
The move is seen by analysts as a tactic by the Houthis to exert leverage on the international community amidst broader regional tensions. The arrests follow an earlier series of detentions in August and January, and tragically, a WFP employee died while in Houthi custody earlier this year.
The safety of aid workers is now paramount, with the UN reiterating that the actions of the de facto Houthi authorities constitute a clear violation of international law, threatening the entire humanitarian response in Yemen.
Date: 19th Oct, 2025
