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Houthis Detain 20 UN Staff in Sanaa, Seize Communications Gear in Back-to-Back Raids

UN officials say the detentions threaten the delivery of lifesaving aid.

Houthi supporters hold a poster of Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, who died of wounds he suffered after an Israeli attack, during an anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
Houthi rebels storm UN compound in Yemen's Sanaa, staff detained
Houthi supporters dance as they celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
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Overview

  • Houthi forces detained five Yemeni and 15 international UN employees on Sunday at a facility in Sanaa’s Hada district, with 11 others questioned and released.
  • A UN official said rebels confiscated all communications equipment from the site, including phones, servers and computers.
  • Those held work across several agencies, including the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
  • The detentions followed an unauthorized entry into another UN compound on Saturday where 15 international staff were reported safe and in contact with their families.
  • The UN says it is engaging Houthi authorities to secure immediate release of personnel and regain control of facilities, rejecting Houthi accusations of espionage as baseless and dangerous.