Yemen rebel group says it has detained UN workers

A leader of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels fighting in Yemen says they have detained a number of UN humanitarian workers on suspicion of spying, including two Jordanians who have since been released. In a press conference held Monday to dispute UN reports of Houthi corruption, Abdel Mohsen Tawoos accused aid organisations of conspiring to "secretly target" Yemenis, without providing evidence.

Tawoos did not reveal the identities of detained foreign workers except to say two Jordanians had been transferred to the capital, Sanaa, which Houthis wrested from the internationally recognized government in 2014. Jordan's Foreign Ministry confirmed two aid workers were released and flown home Sunday.

Last week, UN deputy humanitarian chief Ursula Mueller warned of a spike in violence and harassment targeting humanitarian workers in Yemen's Houthi-controlled areas.