UNITED NATIONS, September 1. /TASS/. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned the detention of 11 UN employees by Houthi rebels from Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement and demanded their immediate release.

"I strongly condemn the arbitrary detentions on 31 August of at least 11 United Nations personnel by the Houthi de facto authorities in Yemen in areas under their control. I further condemn the forced entry into the premises of the World Food Programme, the seizure of UN property, and attempts to enter other UN premises in Sana’a," he said in a statement.

"I strongly reiterate my demand for the immediate and unconditional release of those detained today, as well as all other personnel from the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions who have been arbitrarily detained since June 2024 and those held since 2021 and 2023. The continued arbitrary detention of all such persons is intolerable," the UN chief added.

Guterres noted that the "personnel of the UN and its partners must never be targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their duties for the UN. The safety and security of UN personnel and property as well as the inviolability of UN premises must be guaranteed at all times."

Earlier, the detentions were reported by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg.

The AFP agency reported, citing a statement by the UN World Food Program (WFP), that the Houthi security forces had detained a WFP employee in the Yemeni capital city of Sana. The incident took place several days after Israel attacked targets in Houthi-controlled Sana during a televised address by rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

On August 30, the unrecognized presidential council, which runs Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, announced the death of the head of the Houthi-formed government, Prime Minister Ahmed Galeb al-Rahawi. According to a TASS source in the rebel movement, the Israeli strikes killed at least ten Houthi government members.