UN reports death of aid worker in Houthi custody

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced the death of a Yemeni staff member who was held captive by Houthi rebels, prompting outrage from the organization. The employee, detained since January 23, left behind a wife and two children. Following this incident, the UN suspended its operations in the Houthi-controlled Saada region due to deteriorating security conditions and the ongoing detentions of UN personnel. The WFP highlighted the significant humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where the Houthis have arrested numerous aid workers amid claims of espionage—allegations denied by the UN. This situation has severely impacted the humanitarian response in a country already suffering from a decade-long civil war. The WFP and other agencies have emphasized the urgent need for the release of detained staff to resume critical aid efforts.