Yemen: When kidnapping kills more than bullets: operational lessons from civil–military coordination in humanitarian crises

Country: Yemen Source: ODI - Humanitarian Practice Network On 23 January 2025, Houthi forces in Yemen kidnapped eight United Nations (UN) personnel. The following day, the UN suspended all official movement into and within Houthi-controlled territory. By 10 February, the UN had imposed a full operational pause in Sa’ada governorate. On the same day, a detained World Food Programme (WFP) worker named Ahmed died in a Houthi prison. He was 40 years old, survived by a wife and two children. The UN e