Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ recently welcomed the release of five of its security personnel in Yemen who had been held in captivity for more than a year.
The men ¨C four national staff and a Bangladeshi citizen ?¨C were abducted in the southern governorate of Abyan on 11 February 2022 after returning from a field mission.
Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres?was delighted to learn of their release, noting that available information suggests they all are in good health.
Mr. Guterres was ¡°profoundly relieved that their ordeal and the anxiety of their families and friends have finally come to an end,¡± his deputy spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said in?a statement.
¡°The Secretary-General reiterates that kidnapping is an inhumane and unjustifiable crime, and calls for the perpetrators to be held accountable,¡± it said. ¡°He also expresses his solidarity with other people still held against their will in Yemen.¡±
In good spirits
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly, also welcomed the development.
¡°I was extremely pleased to see for myself that the four Yemeni colleagues were in good health when I flew with them to Aden from Mukalla today,¡± he?.?
Mr. Gressly reported that they all are in good spirits and in contact with their families. He thanked the Government of Yemen and others that helped to secure the staff members¡¯ release and ensure their health during their lengthy captivity.
¡°While the entire Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ family in Yemen is relieved that our colleagues are free, we also recall other Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ staff are still held against their will in Yemen. We stand in solidarity with them,¡± he added.
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