UN says Houthi seizure of telecom gear threatens Yemen aid

By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthi paramilitary has removed critical telecommunications equipment belonging to the U.N., the global body said on Friday, warning that further restrictions on its work would fuel a worsening humanitarian crisis

The Houthis, who control areas in north Yemen, entered at least six unstaffed U.N. offices in the capital Sanaa and took telecommunications equipment and several vehicles to an unknown location, the U.N.’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Julien Harneis said in a statement. 

“This equipment is part of the minimum infrastructure needed by the United Nations to be present and to implement programmes,” said Harneis. 

The U.N. has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen with some 21 million people needing aid.

Yemen has suffered 11 years of conflict between the Houthis, who took over the capital Sanaa in 2014 and the internationally-recognised government in Aden. Some 4.8 ‎million people are internally displaced and nearly half a million children need treatment for severe malnutrition.

The situation has been aggravated by economic collapse, disruption of health and education services, political uncertainty and funding cuts, the U.N. previously said.

AID WORRIES

The Houthis did not immediately respond to a request for comment. They have previously called the work of some U.N. agencies like the World Food Programme a political, military and intelligence operation aimed at subjugating Yemenis. 

The U.N. also raised concern of further constraints on aid, stating that the Houthis have not authorized the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service to fly to Sanaa for more than a month, nor the city of Marib, which is controlled by the internationally-recognised government, for more than four months.

These flights are the only way for NGO workers to enter and exit Houthi-controlled areas, Harneis said.

U.N. operations are limited to government-held areas, with U.N. agencies unable to help in Houthi-held areas accounting for about 70% of humanitarian needs, Harneis said. 

Staff security is worsening with 73 U.N. colleagues now detained since 2021. 

In September the U.N. said it had relocated the base of its resident coordinator for Yemen to Aden, more than a week after at least 18 U.N. personnel were detained in the capital Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthis.  

Houthi officials have previously accused U.N. staff of espionage.  

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)