Yemen Monitor / Sana’a / Special:
The United Nations lowered flags across Yemen on Wednesday following the death of one of its employees in Houthi prisons in Sa’ada Governorate, the stronghold of the armed group in the north of the country.
An official in the international organization told “Yemen Monitor” that flags were lowered across Yemen after the death of a World Food Program employee, “Ahmed Baalawi,” who was arbitrarily arrested by the Houthi authorities last month along with seven others.
According to the official, the lowering of flags will continue until the end of the week. Ahmed Baalawi’s funeral was held in Sana’a, without any investigations into the causes of his death.
The United Nations asked its employees and program employees to offer condolences to his family in a simple way for fear of being arrested by the Houthis.
On Tuesday, the Executive Director of the World Food Program, Cindy McCain, said in a post on the social media platform “X”, “I am saddened and outraged by the tragic loss of a member of the World Food Program team, Ahmed, who lost his life while being arbitrarily detained in Yemen.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed in a statement that “the circumstances surrounding this horrific tragedy remain unclear.”
On Monday, the United Nations announced the “temporary” suspension of its programs in Sa’ada Governorate, days after suspending its activities in the group’s areas of control completely, as a result of the group’s detention of 8 additional UN employees, and on Tuesday the death of “Baalawi” was announced.
