Jassim Al-Budaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has called on the Houthi rebels to release United Nations employees detained in Yemen.
Al-Budaiwi emphasized that the detention of UN workers exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and undermines peace efforts in the region.
In a statement released on Saturday, Al-Budaiwi condemned the actions of the Houthis, highlighting the GCC’s commitment to supporting the UN-led peace process in Yemen.
He stressed that the GCC countries are keen to see a successful resolution to the conflict and the restoration of stability in Yemen.
The Houthis recently claimed to have captured what they described as an “American-Israeli spy network,” a move that has further complicated the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Yemen has been engulfed in a brutal civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels seized control of the capital, Sana’a, and later large swathes of the country.
The conflict escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in support of the internationally recognized government.
The war has caused widespread devastation, leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions of people facing starvation and lack of access to basic necessities.