The United Nations headquarters building is pictured though a window with the UN logo in the foreground in the Manhattan borough of New York, Aug. 15, 2014. Photo: REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Yemen‘s Iran‑backed Houthi paramilitary has removed critical telecommunications equipment belonging to the UN, the global body said on Friday, warning that further restrictions on its work would fuel a worsening humanitarian crisis

The Houthis, who control areas in north Yemen, entered at least six unstaffed UN offices in the capital Sanaa and took telecommunications equipment and several vehicles to an unknown location, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Julien Harneis said in a statement.

“This equipment is part of the minimum infrastructure needed by the United Nations to be present and to implement programs,” said Harneis.

Two UN officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, later told Reuters the World Food Program had stopped operations in the north of Yemen because of operational challenges, and 365 employees of the UN agency would have their contracts terminated at the end of March.

One of the sources said funding matters had also contributed to the decision after cuts by some donors.

UN CONCERNS

The UN has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen with some 21 million people needing aid.

Yemen has suffered 11 years of conflict between the Houthis, who took over the capital Sanaa in 2014, and the internationally recognized government in Aden. Some 4.8 ‎million people are internally displaced and nearly half a million children need treatment for severe malnutrition.

The situation has been aggravated by economic collapse, disruption of health and education services, political uncertainty, and funding cuts, the UN has said.

The Houthis did not immediately respond to a request for comment. They have previously called the work of some UN agencies a political, military, and intelligence operation aimed at subjugating Yemenis – allegations the UN denies.

The UN said the Houthis had not let the UN Humanitarian Air Service fly to Sanaa for over a month or to the city of Marib for over four months.

These flights are the only way for NGO workers to enter and exit Houthi-controlled areas, Harneis said, and UN operations are limited to government-held areas,

Staff security is worsening with 73 UN colleagues now detained since 2021.

In September the UN said it had relocated the base of its resident coordinator for Yemen to Aden, more than a week after at least 18 UN personnel were detained in the capital Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthis.