Yemen's Houthi rebels stormed the United Nations compound in the capital Sanaa and detained staff on Saturday, an agency official told The National, in the latest attack against humanitarian workers in the country.
“We can confirm that there has been an unauthorised entry by the security members of Ansar Allah [the Houthis] into the UN compound in Sanaa, which currently accommodates 15 UN international staff members,” Jean Alam, spokesman for the UN Resident Co-ordinator for Yemen, told The National.
"Five national staff and fifteen international staff remain detained within the compound," he said.
UNICEF's representative in Yemen, Peter Hawkins, is among the 20 United Nations's employees held by Houthi rebels in the capital Sanaa, a UN official said.
All the staff in the compound are safe and accounted for and have contacted their families, he said.
Mr Alam said the UN “is taking all necessary measures and is in contact with the relevant authorities and counterparts to ensure the safety and security of all personnel and property”.
The incident is the latest in a long-running Houthi crackdown against the UN and other international organisations working in rebel-held areas in Yemen.
They have detained dozens of UN employees, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-closed US embassy in Sanaa.
The UN suspended operations in the Houthi stronghold of Saada, in northern Yemen, after the rebels detained eight of its employees in January.
On Friday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was concerned about accusations made by the Houthis against UN personnel.
The Houthis accused the UN of spying for the US and Israel, displaying political bias and failing to condemn Israel's military actions.
Mr Guterres said the statements are “dangerous and unacceptable”.
His spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: “The Secretary General is gravely concerned by the continued public accusations made by the Houthis, including on October 16 by their leadership, against United Nations personnel in Yemen. He categorically rejects all such accusations.”
The claims made by the Houthis “seriously jeopardise the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian workers and undermine life-saving operations”, Mr Guterres said.
Marwan Ali Noman, ambassador to the UN for Yemen’s internationally recognised government based in Aden, said the UN should suspend all operations in Houthi-controlled areas of the divided country.
He accused the global body of “long inaction and appeasement” of the Houthis.
“Enough statements and expressing concerns. If the UN is not taking a serious and concrete stance … this militia will continue its policy of blackmailing and arbitrary detentions of innocent civilians,” he said.
“The lives of all UN employees (international and national) are in real danger,” he added.
Mohammed Albasha, founder of US-based risk advisory Basha Report, has said the Houthi leadership is preparing a media campaign that will accuse the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel of recruiting spies from within UN agencies including the World Food Programme, Unicef and the World Health Organisation.
“Houthi loyalists are escalating calls for public executions of alleged informants as the group continues to detain Yemenis connected to foreign embassies, NGOs, aid organisations and consultancies,” he added.
“Time is running out for the international community to intervene before it is too late.”
Separately, on Saturday a tanker caught fire and its crew were preparing to abandon ship after it was hit by a projectile in the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis, who have waged a campaign against foreign vessels since the start of the war, did not immediately claim responsibility, but have regularly targeted vessels in the area they accuse of having links to Israel.
