The United Nations says twenty of its staff members, including fifteen foreigners, remain detained by Houthi rebels in Yemen after fighters stormed a UN compound in the capital, Sanaa, over the weekend.

The UN confirmed that the raid took place on Saturday, describing it as an “unauthorised entry” by Houthi security forces. At the time, officials said all staff inside were “safe and accounted for,” but by Sunday, the organisation reported that several workers were still being held.

“Five national staff and 15 international staff remain detained within the compound,” said Jean Alam, spokesperson for the UN resident coordinator in Yemen.

“The United Nations is in contact with the authorities in Sanaa and with relevant Member States and the Government of Yemen to resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa,” he added.

The Houthis had previously raided UN offices in Sanaa on August 31, detaining more than 11 employees. At the time, a senior rebel official told AFP that the workers were suspected of spying for the United States and Israel.

In a televised address last week, Houthi leader Abdelmalek al-Houthi claimed his forces had dismantled “one of the most dangerous spy cells,” allegedly linked to humanitarian organisations such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF.

The UN rejected those accusations outright.

“We will continue to call for an end to the arbitrary detention of 53 of our colleagues,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He described the rebels’ allegations as “dangerous and unacceptable.”

The latest raid comes amid growing concern over the safety of aid workers in Houthi-controlled areas. In recent months, dozens of UN personnel and members of international NGOs have been detained, prompting the UN to relocate its humanitarian coordinator from Sanaa to Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

According to UN figures, 21 UN staff have been arrested since August 31, 2025, in addition to 23 current and former NGO workers already in detention.

Yemen’s civil war, now in its tenth year, has devastated the country and left millions dependent on humanitarian aid. The UN continues to describe the situation as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, made even more volatile by the detention of aid workers and restrictions on relief operations.