UN chief Guterres condemns Houthi detention of 10 more UN staff in Yemen

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffDecember 19, 2025 at 09:19 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the Houthi detention of 10 additional UN staff members in Yemen, bringing the total number of detained local staffers to 69 as of December 19, 2025. A spokesperson for Guterres called for their immediate release, stating that the detentions hinder the delivery of UN humanitarian aid in Houthi-controlled areas, impacting millions in need. The Houthis, who control northwestern Yemen, have increased arrests of UN staff since October 2023, accusing them of spying for the US and Israel, charges the UN denies. The arrests occurred days after Guterres discussed the detained staff with the Sultan of Oman, a mediator in the Yemeni conflict, and after the Houthis referred three UN staffers to a criminal court for performing their official duties. Yemen is currently facing a severe humanitarian crisis after a decade of civil war.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

UN ×380% Antonio Guterres ×4100% Houthi ×5100% Yemen ×6100%

Keywords

un staff detention 100% houthis 90% yemen 90% antonio guterres 70% humanitarian assistance 70% united nations 60% spying accusations 50% civil war 50% sanaa 40%