The United Nations said on Tuesday that one of its staff members had died in detention in northern Yemen, where the U.N. has repeatedly called for the Houthi movement to free detained U.N. employees.

A World Food Programme (WFP) worker has died while in detention in Houthi-controlled northern Yemen, according to the UN agency. The WFP said the man was one of seven Yemeni staff "arbitrarily detained" by local authorities since 23 January.

CAIRO (AP) — The United Nations said Monday it suspended its humanitarian operations in the stronghold of Yemen’s Houthi rebels after they detained eight more U.N. staffers, affecting the global response to one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

The United Nations halted operations in Yemen's Sa'ada region after Houthi authorities detained U.N. staff. The move aims to safeguard personnel while negotiating their release and ensuring safe humanitarian delivery.

The man, identified only as Ahmed, was one of seven WFP staffers detained by the rebel group on Jan. 23; no cause of death was given