The STC Contributes to the Return of 5 UN Employees to Their Families

Aden (South24) 

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced the success of joint efforts with the United Nations (UN) and the Arab Coalition in releasing 5 international employees who were kidnapped by the extremist AQAP organization a year and a half ago in Abyan governorate, east of the capital, Aden.

Yesterday, STC President Aidrous Al-Zubaidi [a member of the Presidential Leadership Council] received the five employees in Aden, along with the UN Resident Coordinator in Yemen, David Gressly, and the Director of United Nations Security, Senio Kofi.

Al-Zubaidi said that their efforts to release the five employees "came within the framework of duty and moral, humanitarian and patriotic responsibility towards everyone who provides assistance to our country in light of the difficult circumstances it is going through."

Al-Zubaidi affirmed "the STC's support for the UN efforts in the political and humanitarian aspects, and its readiness to provide everything that would help international organizations without any obstacles."

STC media said that Gressly thanked Al-Zubaidi on behalf of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Gressly said that the STC's efforts in this issue will pave the way for greater cooperation with the United Nations.

"I welcome the release of the five UN personnel. 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," Gressly stated.

"I thank the Government of Yemen and all others that helped to secure the release of our UN colleagues and contributed to ensuring their health during such a long time in captivity," the statement added.

"I am delighted to learn of the release in apparent good health of five UN colleagues kidnapped in Yemen," UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on X platform. 

UN employee, Akam Sufuil Anam, who was kidnapped along with the four employees, arrived last Wednesday in his home country, Bangladesh, from the UAE, according to Bangladeshi media.

Related: IOM Comments On An Ambush Targeting Its Employees in Wadi Hadramout 

The Southern Forces spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Al-Naqeeb, told "South24 Center" that the Southern forces succeeded in liberating Anam, who worked as the "Director of the Department of Safety and Security at the United Nations in Yemen."

On February 11, 2022, AQAP gunmen intercepted a car carrying five UN staff in Abyan governorate. Later, Anam appeared in the organization's video releases on Al-Malahem media platform, appealing for action to release him.

The Southern forces are currently carrying out a wide military and security campaign against "terrorist elements" in the border areas of Abyan governorate with Al-Bayda governorate which is controlled by the Houthi militia.

Related: Abyan: Senior AQAP Member Arrested by the Southern Forces

Last Thursday, the Southern forces lost the commander of the Security Belt Forces in Abyan governorate, Brigadier General Abdulatif Al-Sayyed, in an AQAP terrorist attack with an explosive device that targeted his convoy in Mudiya district.