The U.S. Special Envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, reiterated America's support for Yemenis in establishing peace. He addressed the violations and harassment by the Houthis against Yemenis residing in the capital, Sana'a, stating in a brief statement published by his office on Saturday, to mark International Human Rights Day: "I reaffirm the commitment of the United States to our Yemeni colleagues in Sana'a, who have suffered from detention, threats, and harassment by the Houthis."
He added: "These individuals have families and hope for a better future," referring to the ongoing violations committed by the militias against civilians, including several former employees of the U.S. Embassy, who were kidnapped two months ago. He noted, "These violations are merely the latest episode in a series of acts by the Houthis against Yemeni civilians."
Previously, U.S. officials stated that Lenderking's efforts led to the release of 30 Yemeni employees who worked at the U.S. Embassy, while around five to nine employees remain under arbitrary detention, including two from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has been operating in the country for 60 years.
It is worth mentioning that the U.S. Embassy has been closed since 2015, after the Houthis seized control of the Yemeni capital, though some Yemeni employees continued to work from home or as security guards for the buildings before recently being detained by the militias. In addition to these arrests, the militias have committed numerous violations in many areas under their control in Yemen, including arbitrary arrests, abductions, imposition of taxes, as well as child recruitment.
