The UN Is Leaving Its People Vulnerable To Kidnapping in Yemen

The United Nations refuses to stand up to Houthi bullying in Yemen, and its staff are paying the price.

The Houthis, a rebel group closely tied to Iran, launched raids on UN offices in the Yemeni cities of Sanaa and Hodeidah beginning on August 31. As of September 3, 18 UN personnel have been kidnapped in a campaign targeting the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the arbitrary detentions. The UN reported that the Houthis still controlled UNICEF and WFP offices on September 3.

The detentions — which the Houthis have called “arrests” — and raids have been going on for years. In June 2024, the Houthis detained 11 UN personnel, in addition to six employees of American and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  Without presenting evidence, the Houthis have accused at least some of those taken of spying for Israel. In 2021, the Houthis arrested 20 Yemeni employees of the former U.S. Embassy in Yemen. The United States expressed concern for “dozens of current and former Yemeni staff of the U.S. government” held by the group earlier this year. Washington designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February.

Prior To Most Recent Kidnapping, Houthis Held Nearly Half of All UN Personnel Detained Globally

On the “International Day of Solidarity With Detained and Missing Staff Members,” which the UN marks on March 25, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Yemen said, “52 United Nations personnel remain in detention globally, 23 of them held by the de facto authorities in Yemen.”  

The United Nations suspended operations in Saada governorate, a northern stronghold of the group, after the Houthis kidnapped eight UN personnel in January 2025. Following these arrests, a WFP employee died in Houthi custody. The WFP was slow to name those responsible for the January incident, referring to “local authorities” in an initial statement, rather than calling out the Houthis by name.

UN Inaction Following Houthi Abuses

Beyond an operational pause in Saada — which covers only a fraction of Houthi-controlled territory — the UN has done little more than issue statements in response to illegal detentions of humanitarian workers.

Similarly, the UN has failed to take lasting action over the rampant diversion of aid in Houthi-controlled Yemen. The problem was so serious that the WFP briefly paused aid distribution in Houthi-controlled territory in 2019, an exceptionally rare measure for any UN agency. However, aid operations resumed after 2 months without significant reform. In 2023, the Sanaa Center reported on the persistent issue saying, “Aid workers indicate that in many cases, assistance does not reach those most in need.”

Yemen’s internationally recognized government (IRG) alleges that the Houthis have looted $10 billion worth of international aid. While this number is likely inflated, the Houthis’ abuse of aid amounts to certainly hundreds of millions, likely billions of dollars.

Donor Countries Should Pressure the UN To Reform

Despite repeated calls for reform, the UN has resisted any substantial overhaul to its operations in Yemen. Donors should consider the organization to be out of chances. It is time for donors to demand a thorough review of aid distribution and security procedures, overseen by UN benefactors, of which the United States is the most generous. If concerns over the kidnapping of its own personnel aren’t enough to bring about change, perhaps a fear of losing funding will be.

As a first reform, the UN should relocate the headquarters of its agencies and the main port of entry for aid to Aden, the IRG’s interim capital, as Yemeni officials and experts have recommended. Removing facilities and personnel from Houthi-controlled territory will make both individuals and aid more secure.

While a comprehensive plan for aid distribution and UN activity in the country is in development, the UN should pause humanitarian activity in Houthi-controlled areas entirely. While its people and operations are vulnerable, it is impossible for the UN to do its job responsibly.

Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where she focuses on Iranian proxies, specifically Iraqi militias and the Houthis. For more analysis from Bridget and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Bridget on X @BridgetKToomey. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.