The Yemeni government condemned on Thursday incitement by Houthi Mufti Shamseddine Sharafeddine against UN staff, whom he described as “agents and spies.”

Tensions had surfaced last week between the Iran-backed militia leaders and the World Food Program (WFP) after head of the UN program accused the Houthis of continuing to loot aid and using millions of dollars of international donations for their war effort.

The WFP then partially suspended its operations in areas in Yemen that are controlled by the Houthis. 

Echoing the mufti’s provocations, Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam claimed that international organizations and the United Nations “operate with international spy agencies to sell information and documents for coalition states under the pretext of providing humanitarian aid.”

Yemeni observers warn that fatwas, or religious edicts, launched by the mufti against UN staff could encourage militias in Yemen to target hundreds of WFP employees, complicating the current crisis between Houthi leaders and the UN program. 

Last Sunday, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi also accused the WFP of being politicized. 

The suspension affects around 850,000 people in Houthi-held Sanaa. 

Meanwhile, Yemeni Vice President Ali Mohsen Saleh met on Thursday with head of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) and UN mission in Hodeidah General Michael Lollesgaard.

The Saba news agency said that discussions tackled the UN team’s efforts to implement the Hodeidah agreement.

The vice president stated that President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi has given instructions to the government team to cooperate with the RCC chief to ensure the success of his mission and redress any irregularities and implement the Hodeidah agreement according to the Sweden deal and in line with Yemeni law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.A Awsat