Houthi Rebels Take Over UN Offices in Yemen

The Houthi rebels, who run parts of Yemen, have taken over United Nations offices for human rights in Sanaa, capital city. A group of assailants forced their way into the compound and compelled staff to hand over the keys. The event happened on the 3rd day of August, and the offices remain under their control.

Who Are the Houthis?

The Houthis are an anti-government group in Yemen. It was in 2014 that they seized Sanaa, the capital, and held it, enmeshing the country in a war with superhuman suffering for its people, void of food and other vital supplies.

Why This Is a Big Problem

The UN is supposed to be able to work without interference from anyone. By occupying the offices, Houthis are making it very hard for the UN to do its job. The UN is there to help protect people’s rights and to give aid to those who need it.

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What the UN Is Saying

Outraged is the UN chief of human rights, Volker Turk. He demands that the Houthis vacate the offices immediately and return all property and assets they have seized. He is also calling for them to release some of their detained UN staff.

Those Taken Hostage by Houthis

The Houthis have kidnapped 13 UN workers and are holding them hostage. They refuse to allow anyone to speak with those individuals. The UN says this is totally unacceptable, and they must be released immediately.

What’s Next?

The UN asks the Houthis to leave its work alone so it reaches the people in Yemen without complication. They want to follow up with their important work on protection and assistance for those suffering from the effects of the war.