UN confirms all staff inside compound in Yemeni capital now free

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN team in Yemen confirmed on Monday that all personnel previously restricted inside the UN compound in the capital Sanaa are now free, after days of limited movement and detentions.

"All fifteen UN international staff are now free to move inside the UN compound in Sana'a and are in contact with their respective UN entities and families," the team said in a written update on the situation in the capital.

The UN also confirmed the release of personnel detained by Houthis, saying: "The five national staff who had been detained since 18 October within the same UN compound have been released."

"Security personnel of (Houthi group) Ansar Allah have vacated the UN compound in Sana’a," it noted.

The statement follows an incident on Saturday in which Houthi forces stormed a UN residential compound in Sanaa and detained UN staff.

Yemen remains mired in one of the world’s worst humanitarian and economic crises, fueled by nearly a decade of war between government forces and the Houthis.

The war in Yemen has claimed over 150,000 lives and has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises globally, resulting in tens of thousands of additional deaths.

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN team in Yemen confirmed on Monday that all personnel previously restricted inside the UN compound in the capital Sanaa are now free, after days of limited movement and detentions.

The UN also confirmed the release of personnel detained by Houthis, saying: "The five national staff who had been detained since 18 October within the same UN compound have been released."

"Security personnel of (Houthi group) Ansar Allah have vacated the UN compound in Sana’a," it noted.

The statement follows an incident on Saturday in which Houthi forces stormed a UN residential compound in Sanaa and detained UN staff.

Yemen remains mired in one of the world’s worst humanitarian and economic crises, fueled by nearly a decade of war between government forces and the Houthis.

The war in Yemen has claimed over 150,000 lives and has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises globally, resulting in tens of thousands of additional deaths.