Yemen hostages: UN calls for immediate release [Video]

TANZANIA, Tanzania –

The heads of six UN agencies and three international humanitarian organizations issued a joint appeal to Yemen’s Houthi rebels for the immediate release of 17 members of their staff who were recently detained along with many others also being held by the Iranian-backed group.

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Their appeal was echoed by a statement from several nations and the European Union ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Yemen Thursday where UN special envoy Hans Grundberg said the Houthis were holding all those detained in the crackdown incommunicado.

The Houthis said Monday they had arrested members of an “American-Israeli spy network” days after detaining the staffers from UN and aid organizations.