The United States has issued a strong condemnation of the Houthi seizure of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) headquarters in Sana’a, Yemen. The incident involved Houthi militants storming and taking over the OHCHR headquarters, an act described as a violation of international norms.
"This is just one more step in an aggressive series of Houthi actions including detentions of UN, international organization, and diplomatic personnel working to help the Yemeni people," stated a U.S. official. The official added that these actions would further obstruct the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis who have endured crisis conditions for an extended period.
The United States reiterated its support for a negotiated peace in Yemen under United Nations auspices and expressed strong backing for the work of OHCHR and other agencies providing relief to the Yemeni population. "But there can be no sustainable solution to Yemen’s conflict as long as the Houthis insist on attacking international ships and threatening their neighbors and the Yemeni people," said another U.S. representative.
