The United Nations has again reminded Yemen's Houthis of the dangers of their continued detention of 53 UN staff and dozens of international and local organizations workers.
The international body, which was unable to release dozens of its staff members held by the militias for over a year, renewed its urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN and other personnel.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday in New York that a United Nations staff member who was recently detained by the Houthis has been released.
He did not provide information about the timing or circumstances of the detention, which comes after nine other UN personnel were detained by the Houthis.
Dujarric said 53 UN staff remain detained by the Houthis, adding that some have been held since 2021.
“We continue to urge the de facto authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all UN and humanitarian workers who are supporting the most vulnerable people in Yemen,” he said.
Giving an example of the essential work his colleagues have been doing, Dujarric said the recent confirmation of 28 cases of polio in Houthi-held areas and one case in the government-held areas, has made the mission to protect every child more urgent than ever.
The UN spokesperson affirmed that to stop the spread of polio, this month the UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), supported the Ministry of Public Health and Population in Yemen, and launched the second round of the national polio vaccination campaign across 12 governorates.
Over three days, nearly 15,000 health workers went door to door to vaccinate more than 1.3 million children under the age of five.
The first round of vaccination took place in July this year.
