Suspension of UN Activities in Houthi-Controlled Areas in Yemen

On Monday, February 11, the United Nations announced that it has suspended all its activities in areas controlled by the Houthis in Yemen in protest against the detention of its staff by the group. The UN stated in a statement that the 'extraordinary' decision to halt operations and programs in Houthi-controlled areas was made due to the lack of necessary security conditions and guarantees. The statement also mentioned that by stopping its operations, the UN is giving the Houthis the opportunity to 'arrange for the release of UN personnel who have been arbitrarily detained.' In recent months, the Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels have detained dozens of UN staff and individuals associated with humanitarian groups, civil society, and the US embassy in Sana'a, and none of them have been released to date. In the latest incident, seven UN staff members were detained in early February. Following this event, the UN suspended all travel to areas controlled by the group starting from February 5, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement calling for the immediate and unconditional release of these seven individuals and other detained staff. The Houthis had previously detained at least 16 Yemeni UN staff members. The Houthis, recognized as a proxy force of the Islamic Republic, have controlled Sana'a since 2014 and have been engaged in conflict with a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the legitimate Yemeni government. The Yemen war, which has lasted nearly a decade, has claimed over 150,000 lives and created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Thousands have been imprisoned by the Houthis, and detainees have faced severe torture. The Houthis were designated as a terrorist organization during Donald Trump’s first presidency but were removed from the list under Joe Biden's administration, citing the 'possibility of receiving humanitarian aid.' After resuming his presidency on January 21 of this year, Donald Trump reinstated the Houthis to the US government's list of foreign terrorist organizations. A fire on a cargo ship off the coast of Yemen; crew rescued. Suspension of UN travel to Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. Houthis in Yemen, with the support of the Red Cross, released 153 prisoners. Trump: Houthis will be added to the list of foreign terrorist organizations. Israel welcomed the US decision regarding the Houthis. The legitimate Yemeni government called for serious action from the West against the Houthis.