Arrr, me hearties! Avast ye! Five scurvy UN landlubbers, what were snatched in Yemen moons ago, be set free!
2023-08-11
Avast, me hearties! Five scallywags from the United Nations who were snatched away like a treasure chest in Yemen 18 moons gone have been set free! The United Nations be sayin' they be in fine fettle, arrr!
The United Nations has announced that five staff members who were kidnapped in Yemen 18 months ago have been released. The deputy spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Farhan Haq, stated that all available information indicates that the freed colleagues are in good health. The individuals were named as Akm Sufiul Anam, Mazen Bawazir, Bakeel al-Mahdi, Mohammed al-Mulaiki, and Khaled Mokhtar Sheikh, all of whom worked for the U.N. Department of Security and Safety. Haq emphasized that kidnapping is an inhumane and unjustifiable crime and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. The identity of the kidnappers remains undisclosed.In February 2022, suspected al-Qaida militants abducted the U.N. workers in southern Yemen's Abyan province, according to Yemeni officials. At the time, Guterres' lead spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, refrained from commenting on the abduction. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), considered one of the most dangerous branches of the global network, has been active in southern Yemen for years. The group has even attempted attacks on the U.S. mainland. Kidnappings are a common occurrence in Yemen, where armed tribesmen and militants often take hostages to exchange for prisoners or ransom.
Yemen has been engulfed in a devastating war since 2014, when Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, seized control of the capital and other regions, forcing the government into exile. In response, a Saudi-led coalition, including the United Arab Emirates, intervened the following year to restore Yemen's internationally recognized government. Unfortunately, the conflict has allowed al-Qaida to strengthen its presence in the country. The recent release of the U.N. staff members brings hope amidst the ongoing turmoil in Yemen and serves as a reminder of the grave challenges faced by those working in unstable regions.