UN chief demands release of 11 staff arrested in Yemen

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has demanded the immediate release of 11 staff members who were arrested by Houthi authorities in Yemen. The detained workers are from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the two UN agencies responsible for delivering critical humanitarian aid to the war-torn country. The arrests are the latest incident in an ongoing dispute between the UN and the Houthi rebels, who control large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The Houthis have been accused of obstructing the delivery of aid and diverting supplies, which the group denies. Guterres emphasized the importance of the UN's work in Yemen, where millions of people are facing famine and a severe humanitarian crisis. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained staff, stressing that the UN's ability to provide assistance to the Yemeni people must not be hindered. The incident highlights the challenges faced by the UN and humanitarian organizations in operating in conflict zones, where the safety and security of their personnel are constantly under threat.