GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 12th Aug. World body on Friday welcomed the release of five of its security personnel in Yemen who had been held in captivity for over a year.
UN noted that the 4 national staff and a Bangladeshi citizen were abducted in the southern governorate of Abyan on 11 February 2022 after returning from a field mission.
Secretary-General António Guterres was delighted to learn of their release, noted that available information suggests they all are in good health, in a statement issued in New York by his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.
Mr. Haq in a statement said that Mr. Guterres was “profoundly relieved that their ordeal and the anxiety of their families and friends have finally come to an end.”
“The Secretary-General reiterates that kidnapping is an inhumane and unjustifiable crime, and calls for the perpetrators to be held accountable,” it said.
“He also expresses his solidarity with other people still held against their will in Yemen.”
UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly welcomed the development.
He said “I was extremely pleased to see for myself that the four Yemeni colleagues were in good health when I flew with them to Aden from Mukalla today.”
Mr. Gressly reported that they all are in good spirits and in contact with their families.
He thanked the Government of Yemen and others that helped to secure the staff members’ release and ensure their health during their lengthy captivity.
“While the entire UN family in Yemen is relieved that our colleagues are free, we also recall other UN staff are still held against their will in Yemen. We stand in solidarity with them,” he added.
Yemen face a protracted political, humanitarian and developmental crisis after over 8 years of fighting between pro-Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels.
Over 21 million people two-thirds of the population need support and protection, and the UN and partners are delivering essential humanitarian aid and development assistance.
Humanitarians are seeking $4.3 billion to reach 17. 3 million people this year, but the appeal is just over 30 per cent funded.
UN-led operation to transfer more than a million barrels of crude oil from a decaying supertanker moored off Yemen’s Red Sea coast, which began just over two weeks ago, concluded on Friday.
The floating, storage and offloading FSO vessel Safer has been permanently anchored for more than 30 years. Prior to the escalation of the conflict in 2015, it was used to store and export oil from fields around Ma’rib.
FSO Safe deteriorated significantly in the absence of any servicing or maintenance, spark fears of a major environmental disaster due to the fighting brought production to a halt.
