Barran Press
On Thursday, October 31, 2024, reports emerged of the Houthi movement, classified as a terrorist organization, kidnapping a Yemeni employee from the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa. This incident marks the latest victim in the Houthis' ongoing campaign against humanitarian workers and civil society members in areas under their control.
According to Arab News, a group of armed Houthis, including female officers known as "Zainabiyat," stormed the home of Mohammed Abdullah Shamakh, an administrative officer at the U.S. Embassy, and abducted him after conducting a search. This information was relayed by Yemeni journalist Sami Ghaleb, who spoke with residents of the Al-Zarqa neighborhood where Shamakh lived.
Ghaleb reported that the Houthi forces raided the three-story building on October 10, ordering all occupants, including children and women, to move to the rooftops. At the time of the raid, Shamakh was at a nearby market purchasing items for his family and was taken by surprise upon returning home to find his residence occupied by Houthis. His family was left terrified and the home in disarray.
The U.S. Embassy in Yemen, currently based in Riyadh, acknowledged awareness of the report but stated, “We cannot confirm its validity at this time,” according to Arab News.
Over the past four months, the Houthis have reportedly kidnapped more than 70 Yemeni workers from UN agencies, human rights organizations, and foreign diplomatic missions, accusing them of espionage on behalf of U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies.
Relatives of some of the abducted individuals have claimed that the Houthis have denied requests for visits or contact with them, as well as any information regarding their conditions in detention.
On Wednesday, the office of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced discussions regarding efforts to secure the release of UN staff members kidnapped by the Houthis. Grundberg reiterated his calls for the Houthis to release them, stating, “The UN remains steadfast in demanding their immediate and unconditional release.”