Aden (South24)

In a statement released on Friday (January 24), the United Nations (UN) announced the suspension of all official movements in areas under the control of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.

The decision follows a recent series of arrests conducted by the Houthis on Thursday, which involved additional UN staff members in Sanaa. The statement emphasized that this action was taken to safeguard the security and well-being of the employees.

"UN officials in Yemen are actively engaging with senior representatives of the de facto authorities, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all detained UN personnel and partners," the statement added.

Separately, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the detention of UN personnel by the Houthis and called for their prompt release.

Guterres stated: "I strongly condemn the arbitrary detention by the Houthi de facto authorities on 23 January of seven additional United Nations personnel in areas under their control."

He added: “I demand the immediate and unconditional release of those detained on Thursday, as well as the personnel from the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions arbitrarily detained since June 2024 and those held since 2021 and 2023.” The Secretary-General said the continued targeting of UN personnel and partners “negatively impacts our ability to assist millions of people in need in Yemen.”

The statement expressed appreciation for the collaborative backing of global partners, NGOs, and all those involved in supporting the Yemeni populace in these endeavors.

On Friday, the Houthis declared their intention to release numerous detainees on Saturday as part of what they termed a "humanitarian gesture."

Abdulqader Al-Murtadha, the head of the Houthis' Prisoners' Affairs Committee, said that his faction would enact "a unilateral gesture where we will release numerous detainees from the opposing side."

Al-Murtadha, recently sanctioned by the US for human rights violations, mentioned that further details would be disclosed during a press conference coinciding with the initiative's implementation.

On #HumanRightsDay, the U.S. sanctions Abdulqader al-Murtadha & the Houthi National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs for human rights abuses in Yemen. This action underscores our commitment to justice, transparency, and accountability. https://t.co/SdqsAjss0V #USwithYemen pic.twitter.com/Shxm0iEymZ

— U.S. Embassy Yemen السفارة الأمريكية لدى اليمن (@USEmbassyYemen) December 9, 2024

This move by the Houthis seems to be a delayed effort to enhance their human rights and detainee record. Previously, on Thursday, they released 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader after detaining them for over a year.

On January 22, the US president redesignate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) due to the assaults on international maritime routes, US forces in the Red Sea, and Washington's regional allies.

This decision was endorsed by the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council and the Southern Transitional Council.