UN suspends operations in rebel's stronghold in northern Yemen
A United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) worker has died in a Yemeni prison three weeks after being detained by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, according to the agency.
The 40-year-old Yemeni national, who had worked with WFP since 2017, died on Monday in a detention facility in Saada, a northern province controlled by the rebels.
The cause of death has not been disclosed, according to a report from The Associated Press (AP).
The worker was one of seven WFP staff members arrested by Houthi forces on Jan. 23.
“Heartbroken and outraged by the tragic loss of WFP team member, Ahmed, who lost his life while arbitrarily detained in Yemen,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain via X. A devoted humanitarian and father of two, he played a crucial role in our mission to deliver lifesaving food assistance.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also denounced the incident, calling it a “deplorable tragedy.”
“The United Nations is urgently seeking explanations from the Houthi de facto authorities,” Guterres said in a statement, according to the AP report posted in The Hamilton Spectator. “I call for an immediate, transparent and thorough investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable.”
The announcement of the worker’s death came a day after the U.N. suspended its operations in the rebel’s stronghold in northern Yemen after the Houthis detained eight more U.N. staffers.
A UN statement described the suspension as necessary due to the “lack of security conditions and guarantees.” The organisation also reiterated its demand for the immediate release of all detained UN staff.
The suspension of aid work in Saada is expected to have a significant impact. At least 350,000 people in the region relied on UN-supported food and humanitarian assistance in 2024, according to UN spokesman Farhan Haq. Several agencies, including WFP, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF, had been actively providing aid in the area.
Yemen has been in a state of war since 2014 when Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, according to AP.
The war has resulted in over 150,000 deaths, including civilians and combatants. The UN has projected that more than 19 million people in Yemen will require humanitarian assistance in 2024 due to factors such as conflict, climate-related disasters, food shortages, and disease outbreaks.
