CAIRO — On Tuesday, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced the unfortunate passing of an aid worker who died in a Yemeni prison, three weeks after he had been detained by Houthi rebels.
This development came just one day after the U.N. revealed that it was halting its operations in the Houthi stronghold located in northern Yemen.
According to a statement from the WFP, the deceased was one of seven staff members who were detained by the Houthis on January 23.
The specific cause of his death has yet to be disclosed.
“I am heartbroken and outraged by the tragic loss of WFP team member Ahmed, who lost his life while being unjustly detained in Yemen,” stated Cindy McCain, the WFP executive director, on the social media platform X.
She added that he is survived by his wife and two children and emphasized his crucial role in the organization’s mission to provide lifesaving food assistance.
A spokesman for the Houthis has not provided any comments in response to the situation.
The 40-year-old aid worker, who had been with the U.N. food agency since 2017, passed away on Monday in a prison situated in the northern province of Saada.
The details surrounding his death remain unclear, as mentioned by a WFP official who requested anonymity.
Due to the lack of essential security conditions, the U.N. announced on Monday that it was suspending its humanitarian activities in Saada, following the detention of an additional eight U.N. staff members by the Houthis.
The decision to pause all operations and programs in the region was characterized as “extraordinary” by the U.N., which also called upon the Houthis to release all personnel who are currently detained.
The Houthi rebels have detained numerous U.N. employees, along with individuals associated with various aid organizations, civil society, and even personnel from the once-active U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.
To date, none of the detained U.N. staff members have been freed.
The U.N.’s decision to suspend operations will significantly impact the global response to what is regarded as one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world.
Seven U.N. agencies are active in Saada, including the WFP, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF, in addition to multiple international aid organizations, as reported by the U.N. humanitarian agency.
Since the onset of Yemen’s civil war in 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels gained control of the capital Sanaa and large areas in the north, the conflict has forced the internationally recognized government to retreat to the south and eventually flee to Saudi Arabia.
A Saudi-led coalition intervened in the war in March 2015, with initial backing from the U.S., aiming to restore the legitimate government.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 150,000 individuals, including both civilians and combatants, leading to a protracted stalemate that has incited one of the world’s most catastrophic humanitarian crises.
The U.N. has estimated that more than 19 million people in Yemen will require humanitarian assistance this year as they grapple with issues such as climate change, malnutrition, cholera, and the economic repercussions of the war.
