UN welcomes release of staffer detained by Houthis in Yemen

The UN on Wednesday welcomed the release of a staffer from the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen who had been detained by the Houthi group since 2024, while renewing calls for the release of all remaining detained personnel.

"We welcome the release of Sami al-Kalabi, a staff member of the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen, who had been detained by the Houthis since 2024," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters at a news conference.

Haq said al-Kalabi "is now back home with his family," calling the development "a positive step in the right direction."

"We hope he will be able to receive the specialized medical care he urgently requires," he added.

Haq reiterated the UN's appeal to the Houthis "to immediately and unconditionally release all remaining detained personnel from the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society and diplomatic missions."

"As of now, 71 UN personnel remain detained by Houthi de facto authorities," he said.

Citing the World Food Program (WFP), Haq warned that "escalating conflict in Yemen has cut off life-saving assistance to 800,000 people."

"WFP warns that without new funding, it will be forced to significantly reduce assistance from November, just as more families are being forced from their homes and relying on humanitarian support to survive," he said.

Across Yemen, more than 18 million people face acute food insecurity, while 2.2 million children under the age of 5 suffer from acute malnutrition, including 500,000 severely malnourished.

Recent monitoring found that 74% of households in accessible areas cannot meet their basic food needs.