The Houthis asked the UN staff to leave Yemen

The spokesperson of the United Nations in Yemen, Mr. Dujarric, has informed about a letter in which the Houthis have demanded the complete withdrawal of the foreign staff of the United Nations stationed in Sana'a. While expressing his strong opposition, this UN official emphasized that such demands based on nationality are contrary to the legal framework established by the UN. Most importantly, Mr. Dujarric stressed that complying with the request would not only hamper the capacity of the United Nations to carry out its vital mission in Yemen, but also raise serious concerns about the possible adverse impact on the civilian population and internally displaced people in the country.

The letter, purportedly sent by the Houthis' foreign ministry, was addressed to Peter Dawkins, the UN's humanitarian coordinator, a British citizen. Beyond the demand for employees to leave, the letter contains explicit instructions to prohibit foreign organizations from hiring American and British personnel.

Mr. Dujarric emphasized the impartial nature of UN staff and clarified that they serve exclusively under the UN flag.
Yemen entered full-scale conflict in 2015 and saw Houthi rebels face off against internationally recognized government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition. Despite a fragile cessation of hostilities inside Yemen's borders, recent attacks on Red Sea naval vessels by the Houthis, in solidarity with Palestinian militias in Gaza, have prompted retaliatory airstrikes by the United States and Britain. The UN's decisive rejection of the request for the withdrawal of staff draws attention to the potentially far-reaching and devastating consequences for civilians and internally displaced persons in Yemen.

_{Source: UN}