Washington: Houthis' release of Galaxy crew members is insufficient

The United States confirmed, on Friday, that the Houthi militia's release of the crew members of the "Galaxy" ship, who had been kidnapped for more than a year, is "an insufficient step."

The US State Department said in a statement: “We welcome today’s long-awaited move, as 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader, who had been held by the Houthis since they forcibly seized their ship more than a year ago, were released yesterday, Thursday, January 23. They are citizens of Bulgaria, Mexico, the Philippines, Romania, and Ukraine.”

While the United States expressed its deep gratitude for the essential and timely efforts made by the Sultanate of Oman to secure the release of the crew, it stressed that “we should not be distracted by this inadequate step taken by the Houthis.”

The statement continued: "The Houthis continue to arrest hundreds of local employees working for the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and diplomatic missions and detain them in dire conditions, including dozens of current and former Yemeni employees of the US government, who are being held unlawfully on false charges."

He stressed that "the Houthi group must stop all attacks in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways permanently and without exception, as well as immediately release the hundreds they are holding."

This comes at a time when the United Nations said, today, Friday, that the Houthis yesterday detained more of its employees, announcing the suspension of all its official movements in areas under the control of the Houthi militias.