(Dubai) The UN confirmed on Friday that 11 of its employees were being “detained” by Houthi rebels in Yemen and called for their “unconditional” release, after the kidnapping of more than a dozen employees of international organizations by the Iran-backed group.

According to Yemeni human rights organization Mayyun, at least 18 Yemenis were abducted by security services in four rebel-held areas on Thursday.

A diplomatic source speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to AFP the kidnapping of around ten employees in different UN agencies.

In New York, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, then assured that “the de facto Houthi authorities had arrested 11 local employees (of the UN) working in Yemen.”

Stéphane Dujarric specified that “clarifications” had been requested from the Houthis on the circumstances and conditions of their detention.

The Houthis have not commented at this stage.

These rebels seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, leading to the intervention the following year of a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia in support of the internationally recognized government.

The Houthis “attacked homes and kidnapped staff members of the United Nations and other international organizations,” the Mayyun NGO said.

This “serious escalation […] constitutes a violation of the privileges and immunity of United Nations personnel”, she added, denouncing “blackmail aimed at obtaining political and economic gains”.  

The kidnappings occurred “simultaneously” in Sanaa, the port city of Hodeidah as well as Amran and Saada, the traditional rebel stronghold, the organization said.

“The actions of the Houthis are compromising essential humanitarian work in Yemen while the majority of Yemenis do not have adequate access to basic necessities such as food and water,” Niku Jafarnia, of the NGO Human Rights Watch.  

In a statement published on X, Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani deplored an “unprecedented escalation and a blatant violation of international laws and conventions.”

Since the start of the war, the Houthis have kidnapped, arbitrarily detained and tortured hundreds of civilians, including UN and NGO workers.  

Last year, the British NGO Save the Children suspended its operations for ten days in areas under their control after the death of one of its employees detained in Sanaa.

An employee of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) was also killed by armed men in the province of Taiz (south).