Action occurred after the murder of the group’s prime minister and members of his office in an attack assigned to Israel
Rebels, supported by Iran, invaded the offices of the World Food Program (PMA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Sanaa, the capital of and owned several employees, according to local authorities. The action took place after the murder of the group’s prime minister and members of his cabinet in an attack assigned to. Abeer Etefa, PMA spokesman, said security forces entered the agencies’ offices on Sunday morning. “The PMA reiterates that the arbitrary detention of humanitarian personnel is unacceptable,” he said. She confirmed that at least one employee was arrested in Sanaa and that others would have been detained in different regions of the country.
According to a UN employee and an Hurti officer, who asked for anonymity, there was also an invasion of Unicef’s offices. The UN employee said he lost contact with several PMA and UNICEF colleagues, who were probably also arrested. Unicef spokesman Ammar Ammar confirmed the arrest of members of the agency. “We are looking for more information with the Houthis,” he said. Both PMA and UNICEF reported that they are conducting “a comprehensive survey” about the situation of their employees in Sanaa and other areas controlled by the rebels.
Invasions are part of a climb in the repression of Houthis against UN agencies and international organizations in Yemen. The group has already detained dozens of United Nations employees, NGO employees and even workers linked to the now closed US embassy in Sanaa. In January, the UN even suspended its operations in Saada, a hornhi stronghold in the north of the country, after the arrest of eight of its employees.
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Sarah Paula
