Yemen’s Houthi authorities have issued an order for US and British personnel working for the United Nations and humanitarian organizations based in Sanaa to vacate the country within a month, according to both a document and a Houthi official. This directive comes in the aftermath of airstrikes conducted by the United States and Britain, with support from other nations, against military targets of the Iran-aligned Houthi group. The Houthi movement has been implicated in attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, which they claim are linked to Israel.
In response, the US government recently reinstated the Houthi group on a list of terrorist organizations, aiming to counteract attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthi foreign ministry conveyed the expulsion order to the UN’s acting humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Peter Hawkins, instructing US and British citizens to leave the country within 30 days. The letter also prohibits foreign organizations from hiring American and British citizens for operations in Yemen.
Houthi top negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam confirmed the authenticity of the letter. The office of Peter Hawkins did not respond to requests for comments. While the US embassy acknowledged awareness of the letter, it could not speak for the UN or humanitarian organizations in Yemen. On the other hand, the British embassy stated that its staff had not yet been instructed to depart and that it was closely coordinating with the UN on the matter.
Amidst these developments, the British mission in Yemen emphasized the crucial role of the UN in providing assistance to the Yemeni people through sea routes jeopardized by Houthi actions. The Houthi movement currently controls a significant portion of Yemen after nearly a decade of war against a US-backed and Saudi-led coalition. The conflict has reached a “no-war, no-peace” stalemate, with both parties failing to formally renew a UN-brokered ceasefire.
In retaliation for Houthi attacks disrupting Red Sea shipping, US and British forces have carried out numerous airstrikes across Yemen. Recent operations targeted a Houthi underground storage site, as well as missile and surveillance capabilities, according to the Pentagon.
Quest :Emmanuel kelvin