US urges immediate release of Yemeni staff detained by Houthis

The US on Wednesday condemned the Houthi group for unlawfully detaining current and former local employees of the US mission to Yemen, calling for their "immediate and unconditional" release.

According to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, the detentions reflect a broader pattern of coercion, as the Houthis have "intensified their campaign of intimidation and abuse against Yemeni citizens affiliated with international organizations and foreign governments."

"The Houthis' arrests of those staff, and the sham proceedings that have been brought against them, are further evidence that the Houthis rely on the use of terror against their own people as a way to stay in power," he said.

He stressed that Washington views the detentions as unlawful and politically motivated, adding that the US "calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the Mission staff."

The Houthis have held several Yemeni nationals who previously worked with the US and other international institutions. As many as 59 UN personnel are also in the group's custody, according to Stephane Dujarric, the secretary general's spokesman.

Pigott's statement follows ongoing efforts by the US and partners to pressure the group over its domestic actions as well as its regional activities, including attacks affecting Red Sea shipping routes.

Yemen fell into a civil war since the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of the nation's capital of Sanaa in 2014, forcing the government to flee to the south.