SANAA, Yemen – Houthi rebels in Yemen have stormed the United Nations’ Human Rights Office in the capital, Sanaa, forcibly seizing documents, furniture, and vehicles. The incident, which occurred on August 3, marks the latest escalation in a broader crackdown by the Houthis on individuals and organizations affiliated with the U.N., aid agencies, and foreign embassies, according to a senior U.N. official on Tuesday.
The rebels, who are backed by Iran, have intensified their operations across the region, targeting shipping routes in the Red Sea corridor in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The takeover of the U.N. Human Rights Office in Sanaa is part of this broader campaign, which has seen increasing hostility towards international entities operating in Yemen.
According to a statement by U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, the rebels forcibly entered the office and demanded that U.N. Yemeni workers hand over all belongings, including sensitive documents, furniture, and vehicles. “Ansar Allah forces must leave the premises and return all assets and belongings immediately,” Türk said, using the official name of the Houthi movement.
Efforts to reach a spokesperson for the Houthis for comment were unsuccessful, as phone calls and messages went unanswered.
The U.N. Human Rights Office has since announced the suspension of its operations in Sanaa and other Houthi-controlled areas, a decision that follows a June crackdown on international organizations by the rebels. Despite this suspension, the office continues its work in regions of Yemen controlled by the internationally recognized government.
The June crackdown saw the Houthis detain more than 60 people working with the U.N. and other NGOs, according to reports from the U.N. Human Rights Office. Among those detained were six workers from the Human Rights Office, who had previously been detained by the Houthis in November 2021 and again in August 2023.
In the latest development, the Houthis have claimed to have arrested members of what they described as an “American-Israeli spy network,” issuing videotaped confessions purportedly made by 10 Yemeni U.N. workers who alleged they were recruited by the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa. The U.N. Human Rights Office has condemned these actions, stating that one of its detained staff members was coerced into a confession under duress.
The ongoing crackdown by the Houthis represents a significant threat to international operations in Yemen, further complicating efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in the region. The international community continues to watch the situation closely, with calls for immediate action to protect U.N. staff and restore order in the conflict-ridden country.
