The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed on Tuesday that a staff member held captive by Houthi rebels in Yemen has passed away.
In a statement posted on X, the WFP expressed its deep sorrow and anger over the death of the employee while in detention in northern Yemen.
The staff member, a Yemeni national, had been "arbitrarily detained by local authorities since January 23," although the exact circumstances of his death have not been revealed.
The employee, who had been with the UN since 2017, leaves behind a wife and two children.
On Monday, the United Nations announced it would suspend operations in Yemen’s Saada region, a Houthi stronghold, following the detention of several personnel in the area this year.
Since mid-2024, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have detained dozens of UN and humanitarian staff members, with the number rising steadily as Yemen's ongoing civil war enters its tenth year.
In January alone, the Houthis detained eight UN workers, including six in Saada, adding to the numerous arrests of NGO and UN personnel since June.
The Houthis have accused the UN and other humanitarian organizations of harbouring “an American-Israeli spy network,” allegations that the UN Human Rights Office has strongly denied.
Yemen’s decade-long war has resulted in one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations.
Meanwhile: Coco Gauff suffered a surprising early exit from the Qatar Open on Tuesday, falling in straight sets to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina smoothly advanced to the last 16.
Gauff, the former US Open champion, squandered a solid lead in the second set as Kostyuk secured a 6-2, 7-5 win and will now face the winner of the all-Polish third-round clash between Magda Linette and Magdalena Frech.
Playing her first match since her quarter-final loss to Paula Badosa at the Australian Open on January 21, Gauff struggled with her serve, hitting seven double-faults in a lacklustre performance. She got off to a poor start, falling behind 4-1 after losing her serve twice. Continue here....
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It has to happen