Iran-backed Houthi forces detained a World Food Program (WFP) employee during a raid on WFP offices in Sanaa, Yemen, according to reports from the Agence France-Presse (AFP). This incident marks a significant escalation in the Houthi crackdown on international aid organizations operating in the region.
U.N. sources have confirmed that multiple staffers, including personnel from WFP and UNICEF, may also be held by the Houthis amid increasing tensions. The raids come as the Houthis intensify their efforts to exert control over humanitarian operations within Houthi-controlled areas of western Yemen.
This recent action is part of a broader trend that has seen international organizations facing heightened scrutiny and restrictions in Yemen. The situation has raised alarms among humanitarian agencies, which are already struggling to provide essential aid in a country facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
As the Houthi crackdown continues, the implications for aid delivery could be severe, potentially affecting millions of Yemenis who rely on humanitarian assistance. The international community is closely monitoring the developments, with calls for the immediate release of detained personnel to ensure that aid efforts can resume without further obstruction.
