Five UN employees have been kidnapped in war-torn southern Yemen, the United Nations announced on Sunday (February 13th).
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They were kidnapped in the governorate of Abyan (south) on Friday as they returned to the port city of Aden "
after carrying out a field mission
", a UN spokeswoman told AFP. , Eri Kaneko.
"
The United Nations is in close contact with the authorities to ensure their release
," added Eri Kaneko.
The identity of the kidnappers has not been specified.
Aden has become the base of Yemen's internationally recognized government after it was ousted from the capital Sanaa by Houthi rebels in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition is backing the government in its war against the Houthis, backed by the Iran, since 2015. The conflict has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced.
According to the UN, this is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.