Aden (South24 Center)

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed deep concern over the continued public accusations made by the Houthis against UN staff in Yemen, including allegations by the group’s leadership on October 16 targeting UN personnel. He firmly rejected all such accusations.

In a statement attributed to his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, issued in New York on Friday, October 17, Guterres termed the allegations as "dangerous and unacceptable”, noting that they severely endanger the safety of UN staff and humanitarian workers and undermine life-saving operations.

The statement affirmed the Secretary-General’s solidarity with all UN staff in Yemen and worldwide. He stated that UN personnel and humanitarian workers risk their lives everyday while trying to save and support communities in dire need, and their work is carried out in accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality, independence, and integrity. He saluted the unwavering humanitarian work of the UN and its partners that has, over the years, saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis.

Guterres reminded the parties of their responsibility and obligations to ensure the protection of humanitarian operations and workers, at all times, in accordance with international law.

He also renewed his appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN staff, non-governmental organization workers, civil society representatives, and diplomatic mission personnel, arbitrarily detained by the de facto Houthi authorities, including some who have been held since 2021.

The statement further demanded that the Houthis vacate UN premises and return all seized UN assets and equipment, in compliance with international law.

The UN statement came a day after a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, in which he accused employees of the World Food Programme (WFP) of forming an "espionage cell" operating on behalf of the United States and Israel from within the organization’s offices in Sana’a.

The speech coincided with the group’s announcement of the killing of its Chief of Staff, Muhammad Abdulkarim al-Ghamari, one of the most prominent military leaders close to the head of the group, in an Israeli airstrike.

Israeli media reported that al-Ghamari was fatally wounded in an Israeli airstrike on Sana’a in late August during a meeting of the Houthi leaders planning attacks against maritime traffic in the Red Sea, while the group announced his death "while performing his duty."

Al-Ghamari was a key figure in managing military operations and missile and drone attacks against Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.

The United Nations has warned that politicizing humanitarian work and targeting the reputation of its staff will directly impact international funding and the operational capacity of relief programs in Yemen, which is experiencing one of the world’s longest and most severe humanitarian crises.