Houthi rebels intensified their crackdown against the United Nations in Yemen on Saturday, detaining two additional workers, UN officials said.
The rebelss detained the two female workers of the World Food Program from their homes in Sanaa, the officials said. Their whereabouts remained unknown, they sadded.
At a regular briefing on Friday, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said that two of its staff had been arrested the day before -- among the 55 UN personnel currently in Huthi detention.
"These actions are forcing us to reassess the way in which we work in areas controlled by the Huthis," Haq said.
One of the two women was in critical condition after she gave premature birth and her baby died earlier this month, one of the officials said. The woman is a sister of another worker with the UN food agency who was briefly detained earlier this month, the official said. The woman's brother, who suffers from kidney failure, was released by the militias due to his deteriorating health condition, the officials said.
Saturday’s detentions were the latest in a series of events now forcing the world body to reassess how it operates in the country. The Houthis detained two others and raided the homes of several UN staffers on Thursday and Friday.
The Houthis have repeatedly raided UN offices and earlier this month they seized assets, including communications equipment. They detained over two dozen UN workers before allowing 12 international workers to leave Yemen on Wednesday, according to the UN.
At least 55 UN staff members are currently detained by the Houthis, as well as many workers with other non-government and civil society personnel from various diplomatic missions.