5 Bangladeshi sailors held captive by Houthi rebels in Yemen

Several Bangladeshi sailors have been held captive by Houthi rebels in Yemen for nearly 10 months.

In early February, once 20 seamen on three ships en route from Oman to Saudi Arabia disembarked in Yemeni, they were captured by Houthi rebels, reported Kerala-based media The New Indian Express on Sunday.

According to the Indian media outlet, 13 of the 20 sailors captured by Houthi rebels are from India while other seven are nationals of Bangladesh and Egypt.

However, when contacted, officials of the foreign affairs ministry and the shipping department in Dhaka told this reporter that they have no information yet about the Bangladeshis stranded in Yemen.

Unofficial diplomatic sources said five of the seven sailors are Bangladesh nationals.

According to the New Indian Express, the sailors from India, Bangladesh and Egypt were kept detained by Houthi rebels at a hotel there. No one is allowed inside. People from outside just provide them with food.